Star Wars Visions has announced a new season of the animated anthology series and this time Disney and Lucasfilm are tapping studios from all over the world for this season's stories.The first volume of Star Wars Visions aired in September 2021 featuring nine shorts from exclusively Japanese studios such as Trigger and Production I.G. Each was its own self-contained take on the Star Wars universe blending genre and animation styles to create striking stories. Some departed from the canon to create unique stories, such as "The Duel", which uses the backdrop of feudal era Japan to create its story, while others like "The Twins" used the canon to tell exciting new tales.The first season proved immensely successful, with anime and Star Wars fans tuning in to see the amazing work done by some of the premiere studios in Japan. With such success, it's no surprise that Disney is looking to expand the series with a second season, this time bringing studios from all over the world on board.
The name that is likely most familiar is that of Aardman Studios, which built its name off stop-motion animation. From Wallace and Gromit to Chicken Run to Flushed Away, Aardman's brand of dry British humor has been a staple of many a childhood. The studio's short is called "I Am Your Mother". While Studio Mir may not be a household name for some, it is the studio responsible for the animation in The Legend of Korra. The South Korean studio's short is called "Journey to the Dark Head". Animation buffs will most likely be familiar with the next two studios, those being Studio La Cachette and Cartoon Saloon. French studio La Cachette is most recently credited with animating Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal and will be making the short "The Spy Dancer". Cartoon Saloon, based in Ireland, is known for its picture book style animation that also uses traditional Celtic myth, creating The Secret of Kells and Wolfwalkers. Cartoon Saloon's short is "Screecher's Reach".
The other studios are lesser known, but the line-up is nonetheless exciting. Spanish studio El Guiri will be making the short "Sith". 88 Pictures, a studio in India, will be making the short "The Bandits of Golak". Chile's Punkrobot will be handling "In the Stars". South African studio Triggerfish will be creating "Aau's Song".
Lastly, American-owned Japanese studio D'art Shtagjio will be working in conjunction with Lucasfilm for the short "The Pit". With such a diverse lineup it should be interesting to see what spin each studio can bring to Star Wars and what elements of their culture they can implement. The second volume of Visions will premiere on Disney+ on May 4th, also known as Star Wars Day.