Star Wars Casts A Game Of Thrones Vet To Replace The Late Ray Stevenson, And I Can’t Wait For His Take On Baylan Skoll

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In 2023, the first season of the series “Ahsoka” wrapped up, leaving many Star Wars fans with Disney+ subscriptions pondering unresolved questions. As we move into the 2025 television lineup, there’s been a revelation about whether Ray Stevenson‘s role as Baylan Skoll would be taken over in Season 2. It appears that Rory McCann from “Game of Thrones” will step into the shoes of Baylan Skoll when “Ahsoka” returns, and I’m eager to see his portrayal.

Ray Stevenson’s performance in Ahsoka‘s inaugural season was widely acclaimed by fans, a reflection of his acting prowess, but it became a source of sadness when the actor passed away at 58, mere months before the Disney+ Star Wars series debuted in 2023. The show left off with a cliffhanger concerning Baylan Skoll and the enigmatic Mortis statues, leading to speculation about whether Stevenson would be replaced for subsequent seasons given the importance of his role. Showrunner Dave Filoni remained noncommittal when asked; however, Rory McCann has been announced as taking over from Stevenson in future episodes.

Initial reports about Rory McCann’s casting were made by The Insider, with The Hollywood Reporter later verifying this information. If the principal cast members of Season 1 return, Rory McCann will join Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ivanna Sakhno, David Tennant, Eman Esfandi, and Lars Mikkelsen. It appears that he’ll likely have the most on-screen time with Dawson, Bordizzo, or Sakhno, as they, along with Baylan Skoll, were left behind on Peridea while Ezra and Thrawn traveled back to the main galaxy.

More recent roles for McCann involve providing the voice for Megatron in “Transformers: Earthspark”, playing General Tegular in “Gladiator 2”, portraying Ragnar in “The Damned”, acting as The Buyer in “Knuckles”, and assuming the role of Armstrong in “Jackdaw”. These are merely a few examples from among the various projects he’s taken on following his time on “Game of Thrones”.

Although I wouldn’t have anticipated Rory McCann, known for his role as The Hound on “Game of Thrones,” replacing Ray Stevenson in “Ahsoka,” I’m thrilled to see how he’ll embody the character. With “Star Wars” being one of his major projects since wrapping up “Thrones,” it seems he’s well-suited for the fantasy genre. After all, isn’t “Star Wars” just a space opera that seamlessly blends elements of fantasy and science fiction?

As I type this, McCann has yet to make any public statements regarding rumors that he will portray Baylan Skoll in Season 2 of Ahsoka. Given that Dave Filoni’s The Mandalorian and Grogu film is anticipated to interconnect the different Disney+ live-action Star Wars series, McCann potentially taking on Ray Stevenson’s initial character for Ahsoka could pave the way for a role in future films for him.

Regrettably, the release date for the second season of Ahsoka hasn’t been set yet. The latest Star Wars series on Disney+ is Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, followed by Andor Season 2 which premieres on April 22, 2025. The Mandalorian & Grogu are scheduled for May 2026, leaving us wondering when Ahsoka’s second season might air. Fingers crossed it arrives towards the end of 2025 or early 2026, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Currently, enthusiasts have the opportunity to re-experience the initial season of Ahsoka at any time by streaming it on Disney+. Alternatively, should the announcement of Rory McCann’s casting spark your interest in more Game of Thrones, you can access all eight seasons of the series with a Max subscription and enjoy them whenever you wish.

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2025-01-10 06:37