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Tag: Obi-Wan Kenobi

  • Ewan McGregor Updates the Status of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Season 2

    Ewan McGregor Updates the Status of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Season 2

    When it premiered on Disney Plus in 2022 Lucasfilm’s Star Wars streaming series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, debuted as the service’s most-watched series opener ever, surpassing even the incredibly popular first season of The Mandaloian. Though viewership declined over the course of the series, the Ewan McGregor-led project was generally well-regarded critically and included some incredible and iconic moments, including a reunion between Obi-Wan and his former Padawan, Darth Vader.

    Despite mostly positive vibes coming from Obi-Wan Kenobi and McGregor’s eagerness to continue on as the character, Lucasfilm had other irons in the fire. During an interview at 2023’s Star Wars Celebration Europe, Lucasfilm’s head honcho, Kathleen Kennedy made it clear that any further Kenobi stories would only potentially come “down the road.” Now it seems as though McGregor and the studio have begun walking that road.

    That is not an active development. But I never say never, because there’s always the possibility. That show was so well-received and [director] Deborah Chow did such a spectacular job. Ewan McGregor really wants to do another. Everybody’s all hands on deck with what we’re doing right now, as you can see by what we showed everybody [at the Celebration]. We’ll turn our attention to that again maybe down the road.

    -Kathleen Kennedy on a second season of Obi-Wan Kenobi
    During an appearance at Los Angeles Comic Con, McGregor revealed to the audience that he and Lucasfilm were “exploring ideas” for a sophomore season of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

    Among those ideas is one that will certainly thrill fans of Lucasfilm’s iconic animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars: a further reunion with McGregor’s prequel co-star, Hayden Christensen, that would include potential flashbacks to the Obi-Wan and Anakin’s time in the Clone Wars!

    I was saying this to someone earlier. That armor! Putting on that armor would be a great joy. Then me and Hayden can really get back together.

    While ideas are wonderful, there’s plenty a slip twixt cup and lip. However, McGregor remains one of the studio’s most iconic, beloved and marketable stars and may be one of the only stars of the franchise capable of willing something into being.

  • SWCE: Currently No Plans for ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Season 2

    SWCE: Currently No Plans for ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Season 2

    Obi-Wan Kenobi was a unique entry in Star Wars’ Disney+ saga, as it moved away from the show that kicked off the long-form storytelling era of Lucasfilm, but also refocused on a major character from the original Prequel trilogy. Ewan McGregor returned to the role and explored what happened to the former Jedi Master after the Empire started emerging from the ashes of his own failures.

    In an interview with Kathleen Kennedy, the CEO of Lucasfilm, she revealed that while McGregor is quite eager to do another season of Obi-Wan Kenobi, they currently have no real plans to move forward. It was originally imagined as a limited series by showrunner Deborah Chow, there’s also no necessity to move forward as the initial story was wrapped up in the original vision of the series.

    That is not an active development. But I never say never, because there’s always the possibility. That show was so well-received and [director] Deborah Chow did such a spectacular job. Ewan McGregor really wants to do another. Everybody’s all hands on deck with what we’re doing right now, as you can see by what we showed everybody [at the Celebration]. We’ll turn our attention to that again maybe down the road.

    Kathleen Kennedy

    It’s definitely interesting that they are keeping the door open to potentially explore more within this corner of the galaxy, but it does seem like there’s no real necessity. The quiet reunion between the padawan and his former master adds a nice little bow to Kenobi’s story that pushes him forward even with the uncertainty of the future. It would be exciting to know what he was up to after protecting the Skywalkers but perhaps it’s best to leave that to our imagination.

    Source: Variety

  • Earlier ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Drafts Included Commander Cody

    Earlier ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Drafts Included Commander Cody

    Obi-Wan Kenobi has undergone quite a few iterations before it found its way to Disney+. Not too long ago we learned that the project was initially pitched as a film trilogy before the first entry eventually turned into what we recently got to watch across six episodes. Turns out, there was one other significant element that got scrapped in the form of Commander Cody. Writer Stuart Beattie revealed that his role was cut in an interview with The Direct.

    Yeah, yeah. Cody was the big one. I love the idea of Obi-Wan having a buddy on Tatooine. Like a secret buddy. So like the first time he goes into town, you see, Cody, and he’s following him through the streets and attacks him, takes him into an alley with a knife to his throat and says, ‘You’re dead.’ And then you realize, ‘Oh, no… Cody’s making a point.’ Like, ‘Come on. You got to be more careful.

    Stuart Beattie

    He also highlights how his approach was to have them both reflect this aspect of redemption, especially as Cody had to live with the guilt of his own actions under the control of Order 66.

    And you realize, ‘Oh, Cody has now morphed from someone who was trying to kill him when we last saw them to someone who is now devoting his life to protect him.’ Because by now he’s had the biochip taken out of his head, and now he realizes, ‘Oh my god, what I did was wrong.’ And he has driven by guilt, as much as Obi Wan is driven by guilt. So you got these two kind of old warriors bickering like this old married couple, bitching about, ‘God, it was so much better when we had an army at our backs,’ you know

    Stuart Beattie

    The idea wasn’t to have the character to appear out of nowhere, but rather that he was an active part of the plot. Best part, he was even going to be the one to look over young Luke Skywalker while Kenobi traveled the galaxy.

    And the idea of mine was that when Obi-Wan had to leave Tatooine, he left Cody in charge of Luke. And that gave us a fun little B-story to keep cutting away to. And yeah, he’s a really fun character and a guy racing against the clock obviously, because he’s aging twice as fast. He’s trying to atone for the worst thing he’s ever done in his life. So tragic in a way, but just fun… The way they bickered in my stuff, it was just, you know, put a smile on your face and, you know, (laughs) just arguing all the time.

    Stuart Beattie

    Beattie even went on to highlight one of the moments that he was most looking forward to getting adapted, which sadly was no longer included in the Disney+ show as Commander Cody was completely scrapped from the script. He did confirm that Temuera Morrison was planned to take on the role, who would have a brief cameo as a Clone Trooper.

    The fun one that I missed the most was actually a scene back on Tatooine with Cody. My Cody was so fun. Cody was with Owen and there were some bounty hunters that had discovered Obi-Wan… And they gotta get rid of the bodies. And so there was just this really fun scene where, you know, what do you do with bodies on Tatooine and you need to get rid of them? Well, you go out to the local Sarlacc, right? They kind of park and they’re having this whole discussion about, you know, Cody shooting… Obi-Wan and all this kind of stuff.

    Stuart Beattie

    It’s a shame they didn’t include the character, as it does sound like they would’ve made for a great duo. Perhaps a sequel season or even spinoff series focused on Cody could bring the two together, as they try to navigate their own grief together. There’s a lot of potentials and it would be a shame not to capitalize on it.

    Source: The Direct

  • Disney+’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Was Originally Pitched as a Movie Trilogy

    Disney+’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Was Originally Pitched as a Movie Trilogy

    Lucasfilm’s latest Disney+ series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, saw the return of Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen in their iconic roles from the Prequel Trilogy. Many wondered how the series came together and what may have led to the project ending up on the Disney+ streaming service. It turns out that writer Stuart Beattie initially pitched the project as a film trilogy. Initially, he wrote the first of three films that would eventually be stretched out into the six episodes of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

    I wrote the film that they based the show on. So, yeah. I spent like a year, year-and-a-half working on it. And then, when the decision was made not to make any more spin-off films after Solo came out, I left the project and went on to other things. Joby came on and took my scripts and turned it from two hours into six. So, I did not work with them at all, I just got credit for the episodes because it was all my stuff

    Stuart Beattie

    He goes on to highlight how he initially pitched the project to Lucasfilm, which would’ve been three stories that explore the different stages of his evolution into Ben Kenobi from the Original Trilogy, most notably how we meet him in A New Hope.

    So when I pitched my Obi-Wan story to Lucasfilm, I said, ‘There’s actually three stories here. Because there’s three different evolutions that the character has to make in order to go from Obi-Wan to Ben.’ And the first one was the first movie, which was the show, which was, ‘Surrender to the will of the Force. Transport your will, surrender your will. Leave the kid alone.’ So then, the second [movie] was thinking about where Kenobi ends up.

    Stuart Beattie

    He also highlights that very transformation and wanting to explore that storyline of how he goes from the man we see in the Prequels into the role of sacrificing his life to let Luke Skywalker follow his own fate.

    And one of the most powerful and probably the most powerful moment in all of Obi-Wan’s story is that moment where he sacrifices himself in A New Hope. Great moment, you know, makes you cry. But, if you stop and think about it, it’s a pretty sudden thing, to just kind of go be fighting a guy, to see Luke and go, ‘I’m gonna die.’ You know, that to me, that required forethought. That required pre-acceptance that this was going to happen.

    Stuart Beattie

    Hearing that an initial film idea was stretched out into the first six episodes doesn’t seem too surprising given the slower pace of the project. Obi-Wan Kenobi has strengths but there are moments where it felt like it was initially planned as a singular film that was broken down into three arcs with two episodes each. It was marketed as a limited series, which makes it curious that the initial pitch of a trilogy could’ve been made for at least three seasons. So, we’ll have to see if they backpedal on the idea after all.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Surprise Actor Opens Up on Return to ‘Star Wars’

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Surprise Actor Opens Up on Return to ‘Star Wars’

    Obi-Wan Kenobi has come to an end and ended on a high note for the limited series (you can read our review by clicking here for the finale). There were some big surprises towards the end but nothing had people more excited than the return of Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn. After famously stating he wouldn’t make an appearance, the final moments of the show had the former master and padawan reunite.

    In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Liam Neeson revealed what inspired his return and also why he decided to give Qui-Gon Jinn another shot after his recent statement. It seems a lot of it has to do with George Lucas and Ewan McGregor.

    I certainly didn’t want anyone else playing Qui-Gon Jinn, and I wanted to show my respect for George [Lucas] and that mythical world that he created. Plus, Ewan [McGregor] is a pal, and I loved working with him during The Phantom Menace 25 years ago.

    Liam Neeson

    This marks the first live-action appearance of the actor since he played him in The Phantom Menace back in 1999. Jinn died at the hands of Darth Maul and passed on the responsibility of teaching young Anakin Skywalker to his padawan at the time, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sadly, we didn’t get that many interactions between the two, but perhaps they kept the door open for further exploration. For now, we’ll see what the future has in store for McGregor‘s Kenobi in the Star Wars franchise.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • REVIEW: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Part 6

    REVIEW: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Part 6

    I won’t lie that my feelings about Obi-Wan Kenobi were a bit mixed throughout my viewing experience. There are strong personal moments sprinkled throughout and Ewan McGregor once again showcases why he was the perfect choice for this role. There were interesting plot threads and while it did seem to drag out at times, the story cohesion and personal touches made it feel just that, personal. Yet, some gripes still gathered throughout especially when it came to the action and some sequence staging. Even with all that, I can’t deny that the final episode hit me emotionally in all the right ways.

    I am not going to call this a perfect finale, as the limited series still had to do some jumping to keep its plot threads together. The Vader conflict wasn’t really directly tied to what would be the final sequences, as Obi-Wan had to rush home due to Reva going on a rampage while chasing down a young Luke Skywalker. While many will try to point to canon issues this sequences causes, Luke never sees Reva’s face or even her lightsaber. So, he just fled from whatever he thought might be chasing him due to what Beru and Owen were warning him about.

    Still, that’s jumping the gun on this episode’s true strength; it’s an emotional rollercoaster throughout in all the best ways. A lot of the emotional core depends on the previous episodes as well as your own investment into the Prequel Trilogy. May it be the showdown between Obi-Wan and Vader with its strong emotional climax; or just the tender greetings with a young Luke Skywalker. The series is definitely focused on Kenobi and many of the characters surrounding him reflect that very tale.

    There still is a conflict if that many pieces are truly moved from the Prequels going into the Originals, yet it’s less about story development but character exploration. Owen’s powerful line as he says that Luke is his son while fighting off Reva was definitely a moment the character truly deserved. After his harsh criticism earlier on, it gave him a nuance and highlighted the journey we never got to see in the originals. It adds context and seeing him fight Reva alongside Beru to protect the kid highlighted that very thing.

    Yet, even Reva’s arc comes to an emotional arc. Her vengeance had pit her on a path of no true return, if it weren’t for that last bit of humanity catching up with her. She’s definitely highlighted as fighting as much as she could to stay alive, and she knows Luke’s connection to Vader, but she lost herself in the rage thinking if she can’t take the man himself, she’d do it to his legacy. Even if he may never truly find out given that it was a secret kept from him. The flashes to her simply becoming the same as the man she vowed to kill reflects her arc in this story. Even if it was a bumpy one, Moses Ingram gives one hell of a performance in this episode.

    It’s an emotional climax that might be among the better final episodes of a Disney show. Yet, the road to it simply was one of its bumpiest as well. At least this time around, the action is quite a bit more focused and the camera stops shaking. We get Kenobi’s iconic pose and see him regain his strength with some spectacular visuals of the Jedi Master showcasing what he is truly capable of. Him actually forcing Vader to his knees was a rather surprising direction but echoed the flashback that we watched in a previous episode. Vader’s rage is what defines him and it’s also the obsession that becomes his downfall.

    Finally, we got a good look at Hayden Christensen behind the mask, and he really gave it his all. The way his voice overlaps with that of James Earl Jones added a unique showcase of how these two sides of the same coin meld together. The way he takes away Obi-Wan’s grief and points to his actions being his own were powerful to say the least. His obsession then continuing even beyond the mercy shown by his master once more, only to continue his hunt with a fitting cameo by Palpatine trying to discourage him and keep his focus on the Empire’s growth.

    Leia also gets a small farewell, as we see her put on a rather similar outfit that combines elements from her future look and even some Padme in there. Didn’t expect an origin for her blaster, but it was a nice touch and rounded out her design. Kenobi coming to visit to bring her back the droid was a nice little touch, as it also shows that the Jedi Master has finally broken free from his old life. Though the ending especially seems to hint at him going on a journey, which muddles the concept of this series being a limited series even more.

    Also, the cameo finally happened. After all the theories after the first mention of Qui-Gon Jinn and Liam Neeson pretending he’d never do it, there he is just waiting around for his former Padawan to figure things out on his own. There does seem to be an open aspect to this ending that may lead into another story, and we don’t quite see what the future has in store for Reva. At first I assumed she succumbed to her wounds, but Kenobi helps her up; ironically highlighting how he did for her what he couldn’t for Anakin.

    Overall, Obi-Wan Kenobi definitely ended on a high note. perhaps one strongly dependent on your nostalgia, but a high note nonetheless. while I do wish aspects of the show were tweaked a bit and the action wasn’t as jumbled as it was, it definitely was a series I am glad I got to witness. The cast carry the show and its emotional storyline that is more a love letter to those that grew up with the original series, while also giving some characters a bit more character development they otherwise only had in our memories.

  • Ewan McGregor Isn’t Done With Obi-Wan Kenobi Just Yet

    Ewan McGregor Isn’t Done With Obi-Wan Kenobi Just Yet

    Obi-Wan Kenobi was the first series from Lucasfilm that was highlighted as a limited series. There was much time when head writer Deborah Chow confirmed that the project was conceived with a specific story in mind. Yet, while she’s remained very strict with that approach, Ewan McGregor has a different opinion. He actually would want to return as Obi-Wan Kenobi one more time in a future project.

    I hope it’s not the last time I play him. I had such a great time doing this, I’m sure we can think of a few more stories before I turn into Alec Guinness, don’t you think?

    Ewan McGregor

    Similar to how Hayden Christensen also was hinted at making a return in Ahsoka, it seems that their grand return to the Star Wars franchisee won’t just be a one-off. It’s unclear of the storyline may set up a future where he finds himself in a new environment or we take a look during his heyday before the Empire took over. There’s a lot of wiggle room, and while it would be great to see the franchise expand into new territory. So, we’ll see where the future is leading them and if we’ll see McGregor sooner rather than later.

    Source: Radio Times

  • REVIEW: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Part 5

    REVIEW: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Part 5

    Darth Vader’s hunt for Obi-Wan Kenobi continues as we’ve entered the endgame for the Disney+ series. After a more lukewarm bridge episode, we’re back into the final confrontation as Darth Vader closes in on his former mentor and we finally unravel the secret of Reva’s obsession. While the episode keeps one wondering how exactly they’ll close out the series, it did offer a more thrilling experience than its predecessor. Yet, is it building up to become one of Star Wars best entire son Disney+?

    Let’s get one thing clear from the get-go, Darth Vader is the definite highlight once again. The force of nature that is being showcased continues to stand out and there’s something haunting about the way he blindly follows his rage. Yet, he’s also showcased to be fully aware of his surroundings; no matter the distraction. The best part is how they finally gave us a sequence with Hayden Christensen out of the suit, showcasing a lesson he seemingly has still not learned to overcome.

    Though as great as that sequence was, it once again highlighted just how many cuts are used to keep a flow going in this show. When we’re in the bunker under attack, the camera goes on a free-for-all and it sadly still is one of the show’s weakest parts. Yet, you can see the diamond under the rough when we get a final lightsaber showdown to cap off the episode. There’s a purpose for the camera work but it feels a bit too disjointed from the rest of the show’s more focused approach.

    Speaking of, Reva finally getting the necessary reveal on her overly ambitious goals; which were perfectly hinted at through the posters as uncovered by our own Hunter Radesi. In a way, it was a bit predictable in how it connected to the opening of the series and she isn’t truly “redeemed” by the end. They play on her having a different kind of ambition than the rest of the Inquisitors, but she isn’t suddenly a good person saving Kenobi. She simply has her own goals and is willing to use anyone to accomplish them.

    The stand out moment is an emotional one in the episode, which I don’t want to spoil. But, I will say I was surprised in how it did hit me and it was another highlight of the path that Kenobi has gone down in his life. There’s also a hilarious twist that kind of seemed obvious but still managed to keep people wondering if Obi-Wan Kenobi killed canon for weeks. Either way, it’s setting up what might be an exciting finale but does sometimes feel like they could’ve tightened the script up in some places, but it still was the best entry so far.

  • REVIEW: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Part 4

    REVIEW: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Part 4

    We’re already more than halfway through the limited series focusing on Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s story before his eventual final confrontation with Darth Vader. The fourth episode picks up right where the last one kept us, as Reva got her hands on Leia and Obi-Wan ended up getting a bit burnt by his former Padawan. As he seeks to save her from whatever the Empire has planned for the young girl, he seeks a find a way to get her out of the Inquisitor’s home base. Yet, can it build up from the highpoint that was last week’s first confrontation between former master and padawan?

    The opening is a powerful one by having Kenobi in a Bacta tank (The Book of Boba Fett is going to sue) echoing the experiences of Anakin. As he was also burned by his former protégé and now going through a similar, even if brief, experience, there’s something powerful about the parallels the show is pulling. The former Jedi Master’s journey generally has been one faced with hardship and him trying everything he can to save Leia was heartwarming, especially after the bond they built in the last episode.

    It’s a surprisingly short episode with barely 40 minutes, and it goes by quite fast. Kenobi uses the help of some smugglers that help out Jedi younglings to safety to break into the Inquisitors’ home base known as Inquisitorius. Together with Indira Varma‘s Tala, he sets out to find some way to save Leia as he takes some cues from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order where Cal Kestis also used an underwater passage to enter the area.

    The backdrop of Inquisitorius was great, as the slick design offered some visually stunning sequences. Plus, Obi-Wan trying to sneak around is not something I expected in the show. The big highlight was that after being “forced” to pull his lightsaber in the last episode, he’s slowly embracing it more and more. Ewan McGregor continues to highlight the inner turmoil without much dialogue.

    Varma‘s Tala is a great addition, and we’re slowly uncovering the first sparks of rebellion to face the Empire. The ending moments especially highlight that very development and there was some fun with the last-minute save. Though the show still sometimes struggles with action sequences as the way it was shot, it looked a bit off when the two ships came rushing in as it cuts before they slow down creating the illusion they just rammed into the spire’s landing zone. Still, the emotional moment was surprisingly gripping and the line of them becoming soldiers highlights that this is indeed what would become the Rebels one day.

    The lightsaber sequences were a highlight though this time around. It’s strange that it took this long for anyone to actually use darkness in combination with a lightsaber to make them stand out even more, but the lighting effects were beautifully done. A small detail that was well hidden is that the more he used his lightsaber, the more fluid Obi-Wan’s movements got highlighting that he’s slowly regaining his old self. I wouldn’t be surprised if his final battle is him doing the same flips he did in the Prequel trilogy.

    Reva gets quite the spotlight and it doesn’t seem like they are going down a redemption arc with her character. Ingram gives a great performance and her character highlights the more traditional understanding of a Sith. Potentially her arrogance might be the eventual undoing of the Inquisitors, to begin with, but we’ll see. She pretty much dominated the Sith side, as Vader had a much smaller role this time around but he does know how to make an entrance as per usual. Fifth Brother also mostly appears at random times to be annoyed by his co-worker.

    Overall, the episode pushes the story forward and seemingly sets up the final arc as we’re building up to another showdown between Obi-Wan and Vader. The show’s pacing is generally a bit more relaxed and it was surprising on how fast the new episode moved. Outside of the flight sequence, the action was much stronger this time around and it’s going to be exciting to see where the series is heading in its final two episodes. While it isn’t a mind-blowing show, there’s a strong emotional core and great character development at play. Here’s hoping that it pulls it all together by the end of the series.

  • Indira Varma Reveals Her ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Character Was Originally a Love Interest 

    Indira Varma Reveals Her ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Character Was Originally a Love Interest 

    One of the great mysteries surrounding Obi-Wan Kenobi before its release was the identity of Indira Varma’s character. When she was first announced as part of the cast, theories began to run rampant. Many guessed she might be playing Kenobi’s long-lost love, Duchess Satine Kryze, in potential flashbacks, while others wondered if she might be a hidden Jedi. The first trailers for the series eventually revealed Varma to be playing an Imperial Officer, and the latest episode unveiled that she was actually a double agent working against the Empire from the inside.

    An original creation, Tala helps smuggle refugees to safety alongside Kumail Nanjiani’s Haja Estree. However, it seems fans weren’t actually that far off when they assumed Varma would be playing some sort of love interest on the show. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the former Game of Thrones star explained her character went through a few iterations in the script and was originally meant to be Obi-Wan’s romantic interest:

    There had already been different incarnations of the script and the story line. And I think, originally, she was going to be a love interest.

    Indira Varma

    Varma went on to describe why the creatives behind Kenobi ultimately decided against the idea:

    They felt that it was maybe a bit clichéd where always the woman turns up and they fall in love or whatever. And it’s more interesting that this is a woman with agency who is not just going to fall at the feet of Obi-Wan.

    Indira Varma

    So far, not much is known about Tala or her motives. She was able to survive the events of the most recent episodic installment, so hopefully, fans get to learn more in the coming weeks.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly