Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi is a live-action television series currently being developed by Lucasfilm. It is set to air on Disney's new online streaming service, Disney+. The series will feature Ewan McGregor reprising his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars prequel trilogy. It will take place ten years after Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. On December 10, 2020, it was announced that Hayden Christensen would be reprising his role as Darth Vader in the series.
Contents
Development[edit | edit source]
As a film[edit | edit source]
- "It wasn’t always going to be a series, not initially. When we first started talking about, that wasn’t really in the cards but everything’s changed so much, so quickly. It’s really exciting that it is now. I’m really into the idea to be able to tell the story over several hours instead of just one hit. I think it’s going to be quite cool."
- ―Ewan McGregor on how the series evolved from a film
Ewan McGregor first appeared as Obi-Wan Kenobi in 1999.
In 2013, news were released that The Walt Disney Company-Lucasfilm Ltd. brand was developing several theatrical pictures separate from the core, episodic Star Wars saga, which were later denominated as the Star Wars Anthology Series line.[7] Talks about a potential Obi-Wan Kenobi-centric movie as part of the Anthology series arose, and Ewan McGregor, the actor who played Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, was approached to reprise the role.[8] However, McGregor knew about the project as far as back in 2015,[2] and until 2019, he was forced to withhold information in interviews.[9]
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the first installment of the Anthology Series, was released in December 2016 and was well received both critically and commercially.[10] In August 2017, sources from The Hollywood Reporter reported that an Anthology film centered on Obi-Wan Kenobi starring McGregor was in development by Lucasfilm, with Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry in early talks to direct and oversee the project.[11] Joel Edgerton, who portrayed Owen Lars in the prequel trilogy, had previously expressed interest on reprising his role in a spin-off film about Kenobi.[12] Once he was hired to helm the film, Daldry contacted Hossein Amini to talk about the possibility of joining the project.[13]
However, all Star Wars stand-alone spin-off films were put on hold following the lower-than-expected box office returns from Solo: A Star Wars Story, the second Anthology film, in May 2018.[10] Four months later, Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that Lucasfilm had reevaluated its release schedule in the wake of the poor reception of Solo.[14] It was later confirmed that there will be a hiatus on Star Wars following the release of Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker until 2022.[15] Despite this, former UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was quoted in November 2018 as saying that the filmmakers of the Obi-Wan Kenobi film had proposed shooting it in Northern Ireland.[16] The Hollywood Reporter had previously voted it in a 2016 poll as the most wanted Anthology film by fans.[17]
As a series[edit | edit source]
- "I want to get closer and closer to how Obi-Wan felt while Alec Guinness was playing him. I feel like I'm grayer and nearer him in age, so it'll be easier to do that."
- ―Ewan McGregor on playing Obi-Wan in the series
As noted by McGregor, at some point through development, the film project quickly turned into a television series instead.[8] At some point before it turned into a TV series, McGregor participated in a costume test.[18] A television series centered on Obi-Wan Kenobi to be aired on Disney+, Disney's new streaming service, was officially announced by McGregor and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy at the 2019 D23 Expo after months of rumors and speculation. The series will take place eight years after Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.[1] During the event, it was also revealed that the episodes had already been written and that production would begin in 2020.[19] Amini and Deborah Chow were later announced as showrunners in StarWars.com.[4]
On January 23, 2020, it was reported that the series had been put on hold due to alleged "script problems."[20] However, Ewan McGregor later stated that these rumors were exaggerations, and that production continued as normal. McGregor further stated that while filming was indeed delayed to January 2021, the series' intended release date would remain unaffected.[21] On April 2, 2020, it was reported that John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum writer Joby Harold was hired to write the series, replacing Amini, who left the project back in January.[22] McGregor expects the show to begin filming in spring 2021.[23] The series will be produced using "The Volume,"[24] a technology previously used for The Mandalorian.[25] On October 9, 2020, Ewan McGregor confirmed while on BBC's The Graham Norton Show that filming was scheduled for March of 2021.[26]
According to an April 2020 French press release, the series is currently scheduled to debut in 2022.[27]
On December 10, 2020, more news on the series broke, including confirmation that the series would take place in 9 BBY and the announcement that Hayden Christensen would be reprising his role as Darth Vader for the series. The series' logo was also revealed.[5]
Credits[edit | edit source]
| Cast | Crew |
Cast
Crew
|
Appearances[edit | edit source]
| Characters | Creatures | Droid models | Events | Locations |
| Organizations and titles | Sentient species | Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
Characters
Events
Organizations and titles
Sentient species
Weapons and technology
Miscellanea
Bibliography[edit | edit source]
The Galaxy Far, Far Away Just Got A Little Bigger… on StarWars.com (backup link)- D23 Expo 2019: 8 Things We Learned About Star Wars at the Disney+ Showcase on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Deborah Chow to Direct Obi-Wan Kenobi Series Exclusively on Disney+ on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Brand New Alien From Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Meet Babu Frik on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- "Launchpad"—Star Wars Insider 193
- Future Lucasfilm Projects Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Exciting Lucasfilm Announcements, A New Story From The High Republic, and More! on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10
The Galaxy Far, Far Away Just Got A Little Bigger… on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Obi-Wan Kenobi: McGregor Kept the Series a Secret Longer Than You Think. CBR.com (2012-10-24). Archived from the original on January 7, 2020. Retrieved on October 24, 2019.
- ↑ Drew, Tom (2020-04-06). Obi-Wan Kenobi Show Given 2022 Release, Cassian Andor Series Still Set To Debut Next Year. thedirect.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Deborah Chow to Direct Obi-Wan Kenobi Series Exclusively on Disney+ on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 Future Lucasfilm Projects Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Future Lucasfilm Projects Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link) states that Obi-Wan Kenobi is set ten years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 19 BBY. Therefore, Obi-Wan Kenobi must be set in 9 BBY.
- ↑ New Spinoff Films Set to Expand the Star Wars Galaxy on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Exclusive: Ewan McGregor Confirms Kenobi Was Originally One Film. www.comingsoon.net (2019-10-27). Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved on October 29, 2019.
- ↑ Rapkin, Mickey (2019-10-24). Ewan McGregor Is Back on Top—Again. mensjournal.com. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Weintraub, Steve (2018-06-20). Exclusive: Future ‘A Star Wars Story’ Spinoffs on Hold at Lucasfilm. collider.com. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved on October 29, 2019.
- ↑ Kit, Borys (2017-08-17). 'Star Wars' Obi-Wan Kenobi Film in the Works (Exclusive). hollywoodreporter.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
- ↑ Joel Edgerton Wants to Reprise Uncle Owen in the Obi-Wan Movie. screenrant.com (2018-06-08). Archived from the original on February 9, 2019. Retrieved on October 29, 2019.
- ↑ Fisher, Jacob (2019-11-07). Hossein Amini Talks The Success Of ‘The Alienist’, Approaching The Screenplay For ‘Drive’ & His Upcoming Disney+ ‘Obi-Wan’ Series (Exclusive Interview). discussingfilm.net. Archived from the original on April 23, 2020. Retrieved on November 8, 2019.
- ↑ Belloni, Matthew (2018-09-20). Bob Iger Talks Disney's Streaming Service, 'Roseanne,' James Gunn and a Coming 'Star Wars' "Slowdown". The Hollywood Reporter. hollywoodreporter.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2020.
- ↑ Lang, Brent (2019-05-07). Disney Moves 'Avatar' Sequels, Announces New ‘Star Wars’ Films. variety.com. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020.
- ↑ Jirak, Jamie (2018-11-24). Former UK Foreign Secretary Claims George Lucas Plans to Shoot Star Wars Spinoff Obi-Wan Kenobi Movie. comicbook.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020.
- ↑ Couch, Aaron (2016-08-26). Darth Vader Deserves a 'Star Wars' Spinoff (But Not Everyone Agrees). hollywoodreporter.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2019.
- ↑ Mercante, Alyssa (October 2020). Ewan McGregor donned Obi-Wan Kenobi's costume on the set of The Mandalorian. gamesradar.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020.
- ↑ D23 Expo 2019: 8 Things We Learned About Star Wars at the Disney+ Showcase on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Chitwood, Adam (2020-01-23). Exclusive: 'Obi-Wan' Disney+ Series on Hold as Crew Sent Home. collider.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020.
- ↑ Lincoln, Ross A. (2020-01-23). 'Obi-Wan' Star Ewan McGregor Downplays 'All This Bulls—' About Disney+ Series Delay. thewrap.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020.
- ↑ Otterson, Joe (2020-04-02). Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney Plus Series Enlists Joby Harold as New Writer (EXCLUSIVE). variety.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2020.
- ↑ Kile, Meredith B. (September 9, 2020). Ewan McGregor Says 'Obi-Wan' Series Will Be a 'Standalone Season' (Exclusive). etonline.com. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020.
- ↑ Travis, Ben (September 11, 2020). Obi-Wan: Ewan McGregor On Why He's So Excited To Return To Star Wars. empireonline.com. Archived from the original on September 12, 2020.
- ↑ Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian – "Technology"
- ↑ Shafer, Ellise (October 10, 2020). Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney Plus Series to Begin Filming in March, Says Ewan McGregor. variety.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved on October 17, 2020.
- ↑ Drew, Tom (2020-04-06). Obi-Wan Kenobi Show Given 2022 Release, Cassian Andor Series Still Set To Debut Next Year. thedirect.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020.
