Timothy Zahn responds to rumors Thrawn is getting his own Star Wars movie
Disney XDStar Wars penman and Thrawn creator Timothy Zahn has delivered his verdict on rumors his popular Grand Admiral will be getting a live-action movie spinoff in the near future, after returning to the new Disney canon in Rebels.
Thrawn made his Star Wars debut back in the ‘Heir to the Empire’ novel in 1991 as part of the Thrawn Trilogy, which was widely regarded as Star Wars’ unofficial ‘sequel trilogy’ until new franchise owners Disney reset the canon in 2014.
The ruthless commander made his way back into recognized canon in mid-2016, as a Rebels villain throughout the animated series’ third season. Star Wars fans have been calling for the fan-fave to make the leap into live-action ever since.
The rumors surrounding Thrawn, and his very own live-action flick, have been growing since Star Wars insider Daniel Ritchman claimed on Patreon a Thrawn movie was “on its way” back in mid-May.
Unfortunately, it looks like those rumors may have been unfounded; Zahn weighed in on the whispers during a September 4 interview with Polygon. According to the famous Star Wars penman, there’s nothing in the pipes.
LucasfilmZahn admitted Lucasfilm “hasn’t told him if Thrawn will pop up somewhere else,” outside the new trilogy he’s in the middle of writing. “Don’t believe [the rumors],” he added. “Until you’ve seen it on StarWars.com, put no stock in rumors.”
“Mara Jade [another popular Star Wars novel character] was ‘definitely’ going to be in The Force Awakens,” Zahn continued. “Then she was going to be in The Last Jedi, and probably going to be in The Rise of Skywalker. Don’t believe it.”
That’s not to say the penman is against taking his iconic Star Wars character to the silver screen. Zahn loved when Thrawn appeared in Rebels — he famously declared “the internet is going to melt” upon hearing the news — and feels the same about a possible live-action “Thrawn” production too.
“There are so many opportunities,” he concluded. “It’s a huge universe.”
Disney XDIf Thrawn does make his way to the live-action slice of Star Wars in a film or TV series, he’ll join a long time of characters reportedly getting their own spinoffs in the next few years.
Ahsoka Tano is the headliner in that regard. After a breakout seven seasons in The Clone Wars, the fan-favorite former Jedi is set to make her live-action debut in The Mandalorian’s second season when it begins airing on October 30.
Other Star Wars characters tipped to get their own spinoff franchises in the next few years include bounty hunter Boba Fett — who will also restart post-Disney life in Mando’s second season — and Ben Solo before he was Kylo Ren.
