Game of Thrones legend confirmed to replace late Ray Stevenson in Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2

The writers of Ahsoka seemed to have big plans for Skoll, if the Ahsoka season 1 ending was in any indication, but these were called into question following the tragic and sudden passing of Stevenson in May 2023, aged only 58.

Fans had wondered whether the character would be written out of the story – an approach previously taken with Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa and Chance Perdomo's Andre Anderson in Gen V – but we now know that won't be the case.

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that McCann will be playing the role of Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka season 2, which is yet to have a confirmed production start date, but is currently in development under returning showrunner Dave Filoni.

McCann is best known to viewers around the world for his intimidating turn as The Hound in Game of Thrones, but has other notable credits in Hot Fuzz, Jumanji: The Next Level and Gladiator II as well as recent Sonic the Hedgehog spin-off Knuckles.

Towards the end of season 1, Skoll was separated from his apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) and appeared to be straying onto a new path, encountering monuments to the godlike embodiments of the force that originated in an arc of the Clone Wars.

It was a connection that intrigued longtime followers of Filoni's Star Wars stories, which now seems almost certain to be picked up in the forthcoming second season, which does not yet have a release date.

Ahsoka season 1 was a major performer for Disney Plus in 2023, with the first episode clocking up 14 million views in its first five days of release, while the series later scored nominations at the Creative Arts Emmys and SAG Awards.

Ahsoka is available to stream on Disney Plus.

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