First ‘Star Wars Resistance’ Trailer Released

Disney has released the first trailer for Star Wars Resistance, the first animated series designed to have direct ties to the current trilogy of Star Wars films.

The Resistance is, of course, what became of Star Wars‘s Rebellion after the Empire crumbled and gave way to the First Order following the events of Return of the Jedi.

The series centers on pilots in training with the Resistance, and has a decidedly brighter color palette than Star Wars: The Clone Wars or Star Wars Rebels did.

The series follows Kazuda Xiono (“Kaz”), a young pilot recruited by the Resistance for a top-secret mission to spy on the growing threat of the First Order.

The series takes place following the events of Return of the Jedi but before The Force Awakens, meaning that there will be significantly less Jedi/Sith action and more actual wars in the stars. Poe Dameron and BB-8 can be seen in the trailer, with Dameron wearing the jacket that would quickly become property of Finn in The Force Awakens.

In the one-hour premiere titled “The Recruit,” Poe and BB-8 assign newly-appointed spy Kaz to the Colossus, a massive aircraft re-fueling platform on an outer rim water planet, home to colorful new aliens, droids and creatures. While undercover, Kaz works as a mechanic and lives with Poe’s old friend Yeager, a veteran pilot who operates a starship repair shop run by his crew: Tam, Neeku and their old battered astromech droid, Bucket. Kaz soon finds himself in over his head with his new friend BB-8 as he’ll have to compete in dangerous sky races, keep his mission a secret from his newfound family, and avoid the danger of the First Order.

The sky races, of course, have a feel of the prequels. The cast takes some cues from the success of the recent DuckTales revival in that it reaches out to stars who might not have been the first thought for a Disney Channel animated series before now, including Scrubs and Kick-Ass 2 veteran Donald Faison. Gwendoline Christie returns as Captain Phasma, presumably providing some backstory for her conflict with the Rebels. Given that she was billed as such a major character in the movies and failed to live up to the hype, there will undoubtedly be some fans who are eager to see what she brings to the series. Oscar Isaac returns as well, although given how busy his schedule is these days, it raises the question of whether both Poe and Phasma may be sidelined in the series once the pilot is done.

The voice cast includes Christopher Sean (Days of Our Lives) as Kazuda Xiono; Suzie McGrath (East Enders) as Tam Ryvora; Scott Lawrence (Legion) as Jarek Yeager; Myrna Velasco (Elena of Avalor) as Torra Doza; Josh Brener (Silicon Valley) as Neeku Vozo; Donald Faison (Scrubs) as Hype Fazon; Jim Rash (Community) and Bobby Moynihan (DuckTales) as Flix and Orka, respectively; Oscar Isaac (Star Wars: The Last Jedi) as Poe Dameron; Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones) as Captain Phasma; and Rachel Butera (Tammy’s Tiny Tea Time) as General Leia Organa.

Star Wars Resistance will launch on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 10 p.m. ET, on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW.