3 Star Wars Characters We Really Need in Live Action

Star Wars may have earned its astronomical popularity thanks to George Lucas’ original movie trilogy, however, the animated projects have kept fans interested, due largely in part to their extensive list of characters. While some of those characters have made the leap to live-action, smany have yet to do so. The successful live-action debuts of animated fan-favorites Cad Bane in the 2021 Disney+ show The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka Tano in 2023’s Ahsoka season 1 prove that transitioning characters from animation to live action is an endeavor worth pursuing for Star Wars in the future and there are plenty of characters fans would love to see make the leap. Here are several prominent figures who currently rank as the best possibilities for adapting to live action.

Asajj Ventress

Introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 1 and additionally featured in seasons 3, 4, and 5, Asajj Ventress ranks among the best Star Wars animated villains. The Sith assassin was born a Nightsister on Dathomir and later became a Jedi Padawan before turning to the dark side of the Force and undergoing Count Dooku’s training. Ventress clashed with Ahsoka, Anakin, Obi-Wan and company numerous times throughout The Clone Wars, and she subsequently appeared in the animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch, meeting her end in Season 3 in a sacrificial death. Nika Futterman voiced the character in both projects.

Ventress could debut in live action as a supporting character in Ahsoka season 2 or a different upcoming project that takes place during her arc. Her fierce nature would make her a worthy foe of any main character, or she could even lead her own prequel series. Even though she is no longer alive in Star Wars canon’s present day, plenty of projects address narrative gaps, and the return of Ventress would undoubtedly thrill Star Wars fans.

Captain Rex

Captain Rex stands as one of the most eminent Clones in Star Wars in animation or live action. The Kamino-born trooper fought in many battles during the time of the Galactic Republic, earning the undying respect of those around him, including his fellow clones, as well as their Jedi allies. He was voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. The character technically already featured in live action when Temeura Morrison portrayed him in Ahsoka season 1, but the appearance was an incredibly brief cameo, so it’s hard to consider it a true debut. Such a prominent animated character deserves a bigger role in live action. Perhaps Ahsoka season 2 will grant him the opportunity to make a proper entrance.

Hondo Ohnaka

The Weequay pirate captain Hondo Ohnaka, voiced by Jim Cummings, remains a fan-favorite character from Star Wars: The Clone Wars thanks to his humorous, egotistical personality. Across his appearances in The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, Hondo doesn’t consistently align with the Jedi, Sith, Republic, or Separatists. Rather, his self-serving nature prompts him to always seek the best deal to benefit his own interests. The outlaw notably captured Count Dooku and attempted to obtain a ransom payment from the Republic. At one point, Hondo wan an ally to the Jedi Ezra Bridger, but later betrayed him. Given his wide variety of contacts and experiences across the galaxy, Hondo Ohnaka would be a versatile character to use in live action.

Honorable Mention: Cal Kestis

Cameron Monaghan’s Cal Kestis serves as the playable protagonist in the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor video games. A survivor of the Order 66 massacre, Cal became as Jedi Knight during the Empire’s reign, lying low as a scrapper on the planet Bracca before Inquisitors forced him out of hiding. Throughout the two games’ narratives, Cal dedicates himself to preserving the Jedi Order as he evades capture by the Sith and Empire’s forces.

As a result of much time spent with the character, gamers and Star Wars fans have grown attached to Cal and would love to see him appear in a live-action movie or TV show. There are multiple Star Wars movies in the works, many without known titles or storylines. Thus, it’s entirely possible that Lucasfilm and Disney plan to bring Cal to live action at some point in the future. The best part is that Monaghan would likely reprise his role in live action, so there’s no need to go through a lengthy casting process.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is currently airing on Disney+. Andor season 2 will premiere on the streaming service on April 22, 2025, while The Mandalorian and Grogu will hit theaters on May 22, 2026. Ahsoka season 2 is in development with no release date announced yet.