If you read our other Star Wars article today, you might remember me obliquely referencing a rumor regarding Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan that our site wasn’t really ready to report. Well, thanks to some more official sources, the curtains have been unveiled and we can finally say that Ewan McGregor is in talks to reprise his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in an unnamed Disney+ Star Wars series.
To fans of the Star Wars prequels, this should come as major news. After Solo: A Star Wars Story underperformed, there were reports that Lucasfilm was cutting back on prequel films and spin-offs about existing characters. Now that we know an Obi-Wan series is in production, and not a movie, those reports seem more like a half-truth.
This is the third live-action Star Wars series that’s been announced for Disney’s new streaming service, the other two being John Favreau’s The Mandalorian (airing this September) and an unnamed spin-off series starring Rogue One’s Cassian Andor and K-2SO. Obi-Wan already seems like the most major of these series by starring such a central figure of the movies and getting Ewan McGregor to reprise the role.
No plot details or release date that we know of, just a confirmation that it’s happening, and McGregor might come back. Then again, this could all just as easily fall apart if McGregor doesn’t come back. Would you watch an Obi-Wan that wasn’t played by him or Alec Guinness? If this all shakes out, we’ll probably hear a more official announcement at the D23 expo next week.
Stay tuned to Birth.Movies.Death. for our D23 Expo coverage next week.