Ewan McGregor is back. What’s next for Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ewan McGregor will be donning his Jedi robes once again. The actor is reprising his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi for an upcoming Disney+ series.
The news was announced Friday during the Disney+ panel at the D23 Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center, following buzz this month that McGregor was reportedly in talks for an unnamed “Star Wars” project headed for the streaming service.
“After secrets and fibs and not being able to talk about it. I am thrilled to be able to bring out a beloved member of the Star Wars family” Kathleen Kennedy said and welcomed Ewan McGregor on stage, “Ewan, are you going to play Obi-Wan Kenobi again?” asked Kennedy after being prompted by McGregor.
“Yes,” said McGregor and the audience erupted in cheers.
All the scripts are written, and they are ready to start shooting next year.
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McGregor portrayed the younger version of the Jedi master in the “Star Wars” prequel series (“The Phantom Menace,” “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith”), where Kenobi meets and then trains Anakin Skywalker in the ways of the Jedi before the rise of the Empire. McGregor also made a voice-only cameo as the character in “The Force Awakens.”
Introduced as Ben Kenobi in the original trilogy, the character made his debut in “Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977) portrayed by Alec Guinness. Kenobi was the first to reveal and mentor Luke Skywalker on the Force but was defeated by his former pupil Darth Vader. Kenobi appeared as a Force ghost in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.”
Kenobi’s adventures have been further explored in animated series such as “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” set during the waning days of the Republic. He even appeared in “Star Wars Rebels,” where he is confronted by Darth Maul one last time on Tatooine.
The Disney+ series will take place between the events of “Revenge of the Sith” and “A New Hope.”
McGregor has been open that he would be “happy to play him again” amid various rumors and reports of Obi-Wan Kenobi-related projects, including a standalone film that was reportedly in development and put on hold a couple of years ago with Stephen Daldry attached to direct.
The series would be the third live-action “Star Wars” series headed for Disney+. The Disney streaming service is slated to launch in November with Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian,” starring Pedro Pascal. A still-untitled series about “Rogue One’s” Cassian Andor starring Diego Luna is also in the works and was touted at D23.
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