Sources close to Lucasfilm have informed us that Lars Mikkelsen has signed on the dotted line to star as Grand Admiral Thrawn in the upcoming Ahsoka spinoff show.
This was something we alluded to previously, but now we’ve been given confirmation that Mikkelsen and Lucasfilm have finalised the contract.
We already knew that Thrawn was going to be playing a pretty important part in the upcoming Ahsoka spinoff show.
This was revealed by Ahsoka (played by Rosario Dawson) in The Mandalorian Season 2.
She revealed that she was looking for Thrawn. The last time we saw the character was towards the end of Star Wars Rebels.
Thrawn was stuck on a ship with Ezra Bridger and they then went into the Unknown Regions.
It was recently revealed by Kessel Run Transmissions that the Ahsoka Tano spinoff series will be all about the search for Ezra Bridger, and Thrawn will be linked to that.
There have been all sorts of rumours about who’ll be playing Thrawn in live-action.
I’ve heard people suggest Benedict Cumberbatch, Iain Glen, Jason Isaacs, Anthony Starr, Lee Pace, Jon Hamm. I’ve even seen some people suggest Robert Downey Jr for the role.
Lars Mikkelsen has signed on to star as Grand Admiral Thrawn in the Ahsoka series
Read more: Lars Mikkelsen Is Reportedly In Talks To Play The Live-Action Thrawn In The Mandalorian
Well, they’re not the actors that Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau wanted.
I’ve been told by sources close to Lucasfilm that Lars Mikkelsen was the one they wanted for the role, and it looks like they got their man.
Here’s what one of our sources told us about Lars Mikkelsen having signed on to star as Grand Admiral Thrawn in the live-action Star Wars shows:
It’s all done! I can confirm that Lars Mikkelsen will be playing Thrawn in live-action in the Ahsoka series. The deal might also include other Star Wars live-action shows beyond Ahsoka. I’ll let you know.
I then asked some sources I’ve worked with in the past whether they could corroborate this information, and many of them did, with one adding the following:
Dave Filoni’s been very keen on getting Lars to play Thrawn in live-action. He was his only real choice for the role. It does look like he’s signed on to play the Rebels character he voiced in the animated show. It also seems as though Lars will be playing Thrawn in other Star Wars live-action shows as well – not just Ahsoka.
Thrawn could be a big part of the live-action Star Wars shows
Credit: BBC
Read more: Lucasfilm Reportedly Planning A Live-Action Thrawn Star Wars TV Show
Lars Mikkelsen is Mads Mikkelsen’s older brother (who played Galen Erso in Rogue One) and Lars has been in a lot of stuff in both Danish and English.
Many of your might remember him as the Sherlock villain, Charles Augustus Magnussen.
He was also in the original version of The Killing and appeared as the Russian president Viktor Petrov in House of Cards on Netflix.
And, of course, Lars Mikkelsen voiced Grand Admiral Thrawn in the animated TV show, Star Wars Rebels.
So, not only does he look the part, but he sounds it too.
We have reached out to Disney and Lucasfilm for comment.
They have yet to reply. I’ll let you know if anything changes.
Lars Mikkelsen is represented by Above The Line.
What do you make of this news?
Are you looking forward to seeing Lars Mikkelsen play Thrawn in Ahsoka and potentially other Star Wars live-action shows?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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If it leads to us getting Mara Jade, her hooking up with Luke Skywalker and the tv series ignoring the Sequels by going the far superior Expanded Universe route… then I’m 150% for this.
Sorry, I have to correct your grammar. It’s alluded not eluded. Allude is to hint at. Elude is to evade.
If it leads to us getting Mara Jade, her hooking up with Luke Skywalker and the tv series ignoring the Sequels by going the far superior Expanded Universe route… then I’m 150% for this.
They’re not going into the EU. They just like to take from it, with Filoni doing so with Thrawn in Clone Wars and Rebels. They will never ignore the sequels.
Well I’m glad someone is playing thrawn. It’s better than nobody playing him. Would have been a very awkward show
Alluded, not eluded. FFS.
Mentions Mads roles, ignores Galen Erso!
Galen Erso was indeed played by Mads Mikkelsen, yet Lars Mikkelsen played G.A. Thrawn in Rebels and now in live-action Ahsoka
What I’m excited about is that we’re finally getting a continuation of the Rebels ending, I would have preferred it be animated but I’ll take what I can get.
Is it me, did I miss something or did you just write an entire article about how and why Lars Mikkelsen is playing Thrawn and you never ever mentioned the fact he was simply the actual voice actor of the already existing animated version of Thrawn?
I couldn’t find any option to edit comment so I’m replying : it seems this article has been edited since then with more content and more precision (or had I just missed the parts in red? but I think I’ve read other parts that differs so… ) it’s now really made clear in the article he’s the original voice actor of Thrawn, for all readers and even those not familiar with him already 🙂
So that’s really cool 🙂 !
I don’t understand why people find it necessary to call people out for grammer or spelling. I’m dsylexic and make mistakes all the time.. Think before you judge someone.
I think Jason Isaacs would have been the best choice. He always could play a great villain, and he kind of looks like thrown in my opinion, but Lars mikkelson will also do a great job.
Robert,
They point out grammar errors because they are alluding that they are smarter than the writer to feel superior, while the whole time they are eluding common courtesy.
Now, this comment is clever! 🙂
I find it necessary to point out grammar mistakes in what looks like a professional article that should have editors that catch obvious mistakes before publication. This is not a Facebook status or some fan’s blog, it’s a professional written piece. They’re not building motorcycles, or styling hair, they’re *writing*. If a company wishes to be taken seriously, they need to act like it.
Hi. I’m the guy who wrote the article and I really do appreciate you pointing out the mistakes. I write a lot of articles in the day and we do have sub editors, but we’re a very small team at the moment and can’t catch everything. Yet, readers telling us our mistakes really does help because it makes us better writers and makes sure errors are picked up quickly. Thanks, but I do ask you be a bit more polite about it in the future. That’s all. Xxx
You’re absolutely right. I apologize.