Star Wars in 2026 looks stacked—and pivotal. Sage & Sydney break down everything we (actually) know and what it means for the next phase: the theatrical return with The Mandalorian & Grogu, where Ahsoka S2 might land, why Disney and Lucasfilm are shifting focus back to movies, and how animation—Maul: Shadow Lord and Visions S3—could quietly carry the torch. We discuss accessibility for casual theatergoers, the “Mandoverse” cleanup, timeline headaches (Thrawn vs. Palpatine setup), and why confident, story-first shows like Andor and Skeleton Crew should be the north star. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro: What does 2026 mean for Star Wars? 0:24 – Quick rewind: 2024–2025 highlights (Acolyte, Skeleton Crew, Andor S2) 0:55 – 2026 at a glance: films, live action, animation 1:49 – The Mandalorian & Grogu: return to theaters and why it’s “safe” 2:34 – Season 4 repurposed? How we got here since Celebration 2023 3:36 – Kicking off May 2026: expectations for Star Wars’ big-screen comeback 4:01 – TV → Movie: risks of the first-ever jump for a Star Wars series 4:51 – Can Mando & Grogu work for casuals without homework? 5:54 – The “funnel” problem: movies up top, everything else below 6:48 – Ahsoka S2 outlook: loose ends, recasts, and pacing fears 8:10 – Why Disney is de-prioritizing TV (and why that might help) 9:45 – What “story-first” looks like: Andor & Skeleton Crew as models 10:54 – Cash grab worries vs. opportunity to reset in theaters 11:52 – What to wrap and what to leave open (please don’t rush Thrawn) 13:02 – Villain trouble: showing threat vs. telling it (Thrawn’s challenge) 14:26 – Timeline tangle: needing Palpatine setup without breaking Thrawn 15:23 – Animation slate: Maul: Shadow Lord & Visions S3 (what we know) 16:20 – Why animation keeps delivering (and live action wobbles) 17:06 – Dates check: only Mando & Grogu is firm (May); others TBD 17:35 – Wrap-up: hopes, worries, and what we’ll watch for next ───────── JOIN OUR DISCORD! https://discord.gg/cdQgvgg3 ➤ Listen to our podcasts here: https://bit.ly/3gJIBg9 ➤ Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsUplink ➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starwarsuplink/ Your place for everything Star Wars Gaming, the TV Shows, and Movies! Star Wars Uplink aims to bring you the best Star Wars podcast every week, discussing the latest and greatest from the Star Wars Universe! New Star Wars movie trailers, Disney Plus TV Show Reviews, Reaction Videos, Star Wars Theory breakdowns, and Star Wars Lore Explained! If you're looking for videos and podcasts on: The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, The Acolyte, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi Wan Kenobi, Bad Batch, Clone Wars, Rebels, Jedi Survivor, Star Wars Battlefront, Star Wars Hunters, and every new Star Wars movie, you're at the right place! With almost a decade of podcast experience and 350+ episodes, we're here to keep you up to date on everything going on in the Galaxy Far, Far Away! ───────── We would highly appreciate any constructive feedback or review from you! Let us know in the comment section below, or on any of our socials! Our listeners are our priority, so we want to make the best content we possibly can! Please consider sharing the podcast with your family, friends, and followers. It would be highly appreciated! ❤️ We hope you have a good rest of your day, and remember... May The Force Be With You. ───────── For any business inquiries, please Email us at: contact@uplinkpodcast.com