Some new information about who will play Thrawn in the character’s inevitable live-action debut may have finally surfaced in theStar Warsworld. While Disney has played coy over the past couple of years, all signs seem to point to the beloved Expanded Universe holdover appearing in the upcoming Disney Plus seriesAhsoka.But while that is still likely true, the most predicted choice for the role isn’t necessarily the slam dunk fans hoped he would be.
The character himself appears to be a sure thing for the show, with even series leadRosario Dawson herself teasing Thrawn’s appearance inAhsoka. By extension, fans and insiders alike seem to have agreed that it would only make sense for Lars Mikkelsen to play the role, as he’d voiced Thrawn during his memorable return to theStar Warscanon in theStar Wars Rebelsanimated series. But a recent interview with Mikkelsen seems to have knocked that supposed sure thing right on its blue head. At least, that appears to be the intent.
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When speaking with Danish movie news outletStreamingGuide, Mikkelsen finally addressed the stickyStar Warsrumors surrounding him for years. When asked to confirm once and for all whether he’d be extending his Thrawn chops to live-action, his answer seemed tailor-made to take the wind out of fans' sails. “Well, I’ve heard that, but I haven’t heard anything about it yet,” he replied. “Then they should have approached me, but they haven’t. So it must be someone else, unfortunately.” Well, that’s the end of that. Or is it?
“It could have been fun,” Mikkelsen said of the role. This seems to shut down the idea further. But the thing is, even as recently as October,rumors aboutAhsokahave supported his casting as Thrawneven from more prominent leakers. If Mikkelsen isn’t playing Thrawn, where has this information come from up until now? Has Disney cleverly been letting slip that Mikkelsen would play the role to hide the real casting? Or is Mikkelsen perhaps obligated to throw fans off the scent himself?
It wouldn’t be the first time a star has been forced to deny things they know are true.Andrew Garfield famously lied about appearing inSpider-Man: No Way Homefor months leading up to its premiere, and he ended up being one of the most praised parts of the film. Seeing asStar Warsshares the Disney umbrella with Marvel, it wouldn’t be all that farfetched for the conglomerate to ask a similar favor from Mikkelsen. Stranger things have been known to happen.
However, it’s worth remembering that sometimes the most obvious answer is correct. Mikkelsen could very well be telling the truth. If that’s the case, fans should be willing to accept the idea. This is not a fandom that often takes change well, so it would be best to get accustomed to a new actor early on. Hey, maybefan artists got their wish and Benedict Cumberbatch will play Thrawn. There are certainly worse ideas.
