Why Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano Might Show Up In More Than Just Disney+'s The Mandalorian

Beyond everything going on in the real world, the future of the Star Wars franchise remains bright at Disney+, which is currently celebrating subscriber-based victories. The Mandalorian Season 2 is reportedly finished with its principal photography, with Rosario Dawson having been cast as the fan-favorite Jedi Ahsoka Tano. We already can't wait to see what Dawson brings to The Mandalorian, and it sounds like that Star Wars series may not be the only place for fans to witness Ahsoka's badassery.

That's right, it's being reported that Rosario Dawson's journey into the Star Wars universe might not be limited to just The Mandalorian, but could also include other franchise appearances in various Disney+ series and projects. With the understanding that we're working with a grain-of-salt rumor here at the moment, The Direct has gone public with the news that Dawson's contract to play Ahsoka Tano is actually a multi-show deal, meaning she could technically show up in the in-development Obi-wan Kenobi series, or (somehow) in the Cassian Andor-centered Rogue One prequel series.

Note that just because Rosario Dawson's contract allegedly opens the door for Ahsoka Tano to appear in various Star Wars shows on Disney+, it is not a full-on guarantee that the actress of character will show up in any other series. Obviously, Ahsoka is currently part of Disney+'s The Clone Wars for its final season, but with longtime voice actress Ashley Eckstein in the role.

The head honchos putting the contracts together were likely interested in making sure the possibility was available to use Ahsoka as needed, without having to go back to the negotiations table in order to make it work. This kind of contractual tactic is something that Rosario Dawson is likely already used to, considering she starred as Nurse Claire Temple on Marvel's Daredevil series before her character showed up in each of Netflix's other Defenders superhero shows like Luke Cage and Iron Fist.

Granted, that character was more purposefully built to serve as connective tissue between the Marvel dramas, which wouldn't really be the case for Ahsoka Tano. Interestingly, those shows were run outside of Disney's command, but still delivered more consistent crossover TV moments than the MCU has, at least prior to all of the upcoming Kevin Feige-sponsored superhero shows.

Though our expectations may be tempered for what might happen in Disney+'s future, that doesn't mean our excitement has been subdued. Rosario Dawson's alleged contract details could feasibly lead to Ahsoka Tano getting her own live-action series on the streaming service, which would be an amazing accomplishment for the character, whose debut in The Clone Wars animated film and follow-up TV show wasn't the most warmly welcomed. Initial reactions definitely pale in comparison to the gigantic fanbase that Ahsoka has earned over the years, largely because of actress Ashley Eckstein's excellent performances and personal adoration for the character. But the jury is still out on how the live-action version will be received.

For now, we still don't know a whole lot about what to expect when Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano enters the picture for The Mandalorian, but stay tuned to CinemaBlend in the coming months to get updates as they're revealed.

Nick Venable
Assistant Managing Editor

Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper.  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.