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Tag: Obi-Wan Kenobi

  • Hayden Christensen Teases Darth Vader’s “Personal Mission” in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    Hayden Christensen Teases Darth Vader’s “Personal Mission” in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    The announcement that Hayden Christensen would be reprising his role of Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader) in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series for Disney+ was one of the most surprising in recent memory of the Star Wars universe. While the series will predominantly focus on Ewan McGregor’s reprisal as the titular character, audiences will also get to follow the rise of the most iconic cinematic villains in Darth Vader.

    One of the most compelling elements of returning to Darth Vader at this point in time is connecting the dots between when audiences last saw Christensen as Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith and the cold, calculated antagonist of A New Hope. In an interview on The Cutaway with William Mullally, Hayden Christensen discussed the untapped potential in returning to this specific era of the Star Wars timeline.

    This is sort of a point in the timeline that hasn’t really been explored yet, and I think that the character of Darth Vader is at an interesting point in his life, in terms of what has happened before and where we left him in Episode III

    Hayden Christensen

    As well in the interview, Christensen discussed how he views the character motivations for Skywalker in Obi-Wan Kenobi.

    He’s very much sort of trying to reconcile his past, and hunting down the Jedi… obviously it’s his job and he’s mandated by the Emperor, but it’s more than that. It’s a personal mission for him.

    Hayden Christensen

    This perspective certainly has the ability to make Star Wars fans quite excited for what’s in store for Darth Vader’s arc in the upcoming Disney+ series. As well, the notion of Skywalker hunting the Jedi as a means of getting closure with his past makes the potential of a confrontation with Ewan McGregor’s portrayal as his old master all the more tantalizing. It would be the ultimate showdown between someone trying to eliminate the past and someone trying to bring forth a new future.

    In addition to Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, Obi-Wan Kenobi is set to co-star with an all-star cast of Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr, Sung Kang, Simone Kessell, and Benny Safdie.

    The Deborah Chow-directed series is set to debut on Disney+ on May 27.

    Source: YouTube via Comicbook.com

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Will Give the Stormtroopers a Theme

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Will Give the Stormtroopers a Theme

    Here’s a fun surprise, but it looks like after all these years, Stormtroopers are getting a theme of their own. If there’s one thing the Star Wars franchise is famous for, it’s its music. While John Williams will return to score Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s theme, the upcoming Disney+ series has added Loki‘s Natalie Holt to compose the soundtrack. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she talked about what it’s like tackling this project and working on it with director Deborah Chow.

    Obviously, John Williams has written the Obi theme, but I did start off trying to write one, to be honest. I was writing from [director] Deborah’s [Chow] instructions and it was interesting. She was like, ‘He’s in the desert. He’s lost, he’s been alone.’ It’s like anything for his theme would just be small, crumbling, fragmented, and thin. Then it would grow as he goes on this journey. That was kind of interesting seeing the place that I arrived at, just for the world and his environment

    Kate Herron

    Yet, the biggest surprise came when she highlighted that she worked on themes for other members of the cast, most notably the Stormtroopers. While they’ve been a staple for the franchise since its inception, they haven’t really gotten their own audio cue. So, it’s a nice little addition to this limited series.

    Then it would grow as he goes on this journey. That was kind of interesting seeing the place that I arrived at, just for the world and his environment. Obviously, there are lots of different characters in the show, and I did also write music themes for planets. In addition, there is a Stormtroopers theme.

    Kate Herron

    It’ll be interesting to see what she brings to the table and if the sound wills tick to what we know from the franchise, or have a unique swing to it. Her Loki soundtrack is still one of Disney+’s best so far and it’ll be exciting to see what she brings to the Star Wars franchise.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • New ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Promo Art Continues to Tease His Rematch Against Darth Vader

    New ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Promo Art Continues to Tease His Rematch Against Darth Vader

    As with every yDisney+ series, a set of promotional art has found its way online for the upcoming Star Wars series, Obi-wan Kenobi. While it doesn’t reveal anything new, or characters that haven’t been teased yet, it does highlight the upcoming rematch between Ewan McGregor‘s Obi-Wan and the returning Hayden Christensen‘s Darth Vader. We also get another highlight of the Jedi master wielding his iconic lightsaber on Tatooine, which will have a big part in the series as he tries to watch over a young Luke Skywalker.

    It’ll be interesting to see what other promotional art may find its way online, especially as there are still a few characters that will take the spotlight in the series. Yet, we’ve seen in the past that most of the promo did focus on the main characters of the project or simply used some creative visuals to make it stand out. It’s great that they’re finally ramping up the advertising for this series, especially now that Moon Knight came to an end.

    We just recently got a new trailer and with Star Wars Celebration on the horizon, we might get a lot more heading our way from Lucasfilm. Here’s hoping that they start picking up some steam on these projects, as while Marvel is promoting two films and two series simultaneously, we barely get any information on a single Star Wars series until shortly before it releases.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Always Planned as a Mini-Series

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Always Planned as a Mini-Series

    Obi-Wan Kenobi will continue the story of the prequel trilogy as the Jedi Master will once again face off against his former Padawan. The return of Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader adds a lot of excitement to the project, especially as the actor teased that we might expect more of him in the future. Yet, showrunner Deborah Chow revealed that the upcoming Disney+ series is mainly planned as a mini-series. So, there are currently no plans for this story to expand with a second season.

    We really did conceive this like a beginning, middle, and end. It is one big story, and it was always meant to be. You can never tell what happens in the future. But, if another series were to happen, it would be the same process of making sure that there was a real story to tell. Ours is obviously very connected to the prequels, but I love the idea that there can be more stories that are all over the timeline.

    Deborah Chow

    While it’s a shame that we might not expect more of this series moving forward, it doesn’t mean that Ewan McGregor might not return as Obi-Wan Kenobi in another project. As teased by Chow, they can always plan a new mini-series that serves a different story, where he may even find himself in someone else’s adventure. Whatever the future has in store, Star Wars is starting to expand and Disney+ has become its new home to tell some unlikely stories.

    Source: Total Film

  • Deborah Chow Teases Surprises in Disney+’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    Deborah Chow Teases Surprises in Disney+’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    The release of Obi-Wan Kenobi is just around the corner, and director Deborah Chow is just as excited as anyone else. After helming a pair of well-received episodes of The Mandalorian, the creative was promoted to full-time director of Ewan McGregor‘s big return to the Star Wars universe. She recently sat down with Total Film to discuss the upcoming project, and was naturally asked a variety of questions pertaining to possible spoilers.

    One of these inquiries was about Liam Neeson‘s Qui-Gon Jinn, the Jedi Master who died protecting Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker at the end of Episode I – The Phantom Menace. the final moments of the prequel trilogy revealed to audiences that Jinn had actually become the first Jedi to perfect communication from beyond the grave, with Yoda hinting to Kenobi that he could continue to learn from his former teacher. Neeson came back to voice the character for cameos in the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Chow was asked if that would also be the case for Kenobi. Her response was indirect but intriguing, to say the least:

    Obi-Wan’s going on a journey. There’s going to be different people that come into his life. One of the things I was trying to do with this series was to have the legacy, and who is important in Obi-Wan’s life, and to also have some new characters. So it’s going to be a mixture of the two. But I do think there are some surprises to come. I hope.

    Deborah Chow

    The answer doesn’t confirm anything specific, but it does leave the door open for some major anticipation about what’s to come. Many iconic Star Wars characters are returning for the Disney+ series, including Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisitor, so it’s not entirely impossible that Jinn could join them on the small screen.

    Source: Total Film

  • New ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Concept Art Teases an Empire Base

    New ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Concept Art Teases an Empire Base

    Obi-Wan Kenobi is only a few more weeks away from releasing. The next entry will see the return of Ewan McGregor in the iconic role from the Prequel trilogy. Total Film has been quite busy promoting the film with various articles teasing what the future has in store for us with the latest Disney+. Showrunner Deborah Chow has also debunked rumors that Darth Maul was ever part of the project. Now, Total Film (as shared by @starwarsstuff2) has released some new concept art that teases what the project has in store.

    As we’re revisiting Tatooine shortly after The Book of Boba Fett‘s time on the desert planet, they aren’t revealing too much from the upcoming series. We do get a test of a mysterious vehicle that is a bit more Mad Max in design. We might also get to visit an Empire base going by the only non-desert location teased with the artwork. Of course, Obi-Wan is also getting a new look, which is heavily promoted in the artwork, and we have gotten a few teases from the first trailer.

    They are still keeping quite a bit secretive. So, we’ll see just how many different planets Obi-Wan might end up visiting in the series. There are a lot of questions that might not get an answer until its release, especially with the teases of some curious surprises that the production may have in store for us. For now, we’ll have to wait and see what the May release has in store for us potentially.

    Source: Total Film via Twitter

  • Hayden Christensen Teases Darth Vader’s Future Beyond ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    Hayden Christensen Teases Darth Vader’s Future Beyond ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    Hayden Christensen is making his grand return to a galaxy far, far away in Obi-Wan Kenobi, and it appears he may be back for the long haul. The actor portrayed Anakin Skywalker in the latter two of George Lucas’ three prequel films, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. When he appears in Kenobi, it’ll be as the iconic villain Darth Vader, who Christensen only previously had a chance to play in a handful of scenes. In a recent interview with Total Film, the one-time leading man spoke about his on-screen transition from Jedi Knight to Sith Lord:

    When George [Lucas] had brought me onto the prequels, it was to play Anakin. He gets knighted as Darth Vader towards the end, and for a couple of scenes I get to put the suit on. But my journey with the character was with Anakin Skywalker. But the character? He’s such a complex character. And now, getting to explore the mindset and the emotional state of Darth Vader, has been a lot of fun.

    Hayden Christensen

    More importantly, Christensen continued talking to give a tease for his future with the franchise. There have been rumors that he’ll return to the Vader role for an appearance in the upcoming Ashoka series on Disney+, and while the actor wouldn’t reveal if this is true, he did hint that he may not be done playing Darth Vader:

    The extent of this journey, I think, remains to be seen. But what a privilege to get to come back and do this, and to be a part of this project.

    Hayden Christensen

    It certainly sounds like we might get a lot more of Vader moving forward, even if he may be mostly in the form of flashbacks. Yet, they are starting to expand the timeline with different projects. Who knows if they have plants o set some stories up through Obi-Wan Kenobi that would also see his return in a future project.

    Source: Total Film

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’: Deborah Chow Debunks Darth Maul Rumors

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’: Deborah Chow Debunks Darth Maul Rumors

    Some time ago, a rumor hit the internet that Obi-Wan Kenobi was originally going to feature the return of Darth Maul. Yet, as production got ready, they seemingly have removed away from that concept to feature Darth Vader as its main antagonist alongside the connections to the animated series with the live-action debut of the Grand Inquisitor. Yet, showrunner Deborah Chow revealed in an interview with Total Film that this wasn’t the case since she’s been involved with the project.

    As long as I’ve been involved, we’ve never had Darth Maul in any of it. Dave [Filoni] did a beautiful job of telling that story already.

    Deborah Chow

    There could always be a potential discussion if these ideas were very early in the concept stage of the project. Lucasfilm has probably planned on exploring this era for quite some time, and a very early draft may have included Maul before Filoni used that concept in Star Wars: Rebels. They may still have plans for the character moving forward, especially after the tease of his return in Solo, but it’s unclear how exactly they are mapping out their projects.

    Lucasfilm hasn’t been very consistent with promoting their projects and we know very little about their future plans with the franchise. They are expanding with new TV series but we know very little about their theatrical release plans. We also have been seeing a strong focus on the post-Return of the Jedi era. Obi-Wan Kenobi will be the first live-action project to focus on an earlier point of the timeline with Andor following. There’s also the long-rumored High Republic series that may be completely disconnected form the rest.

    Source: Total Film

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Ewan McGregor Was “Scared” Facing Off Against Darth Vader for the First Time

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Ewan McGregor Was “Scared” Facing Off Against Darth Vader for the First Time

    In just a few more weeks we’ll get the next Star Wars series on Disney+. While we take a break from The Mandalorian Universe, we take a look back at the pre-A New Hope era in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ewan McGregor returns to the iconic role, as he also will get one more time to face off against Hayden Christensen‘s Anakin Skywalker. This time around, however, he will return as the fully formed Darth Vader.

    In an interview with Total Film, the actor revealed just how surprising it was to face off against Darth Vader. It seems that it left quite an impression on him, especially because he never got to meet the character in the Prequel trilogy. He goes on to say:

    I’ve never met Darth Vader. I had rehearsed the scene with Vader, but not with the helmet on or anything like that. When we came to do the scene, when they shouted ‘action’, he had to come from behind me. I turned around, and fucking Darth Vader was coming at me. It was like I was six again. I’d never acted into Vader’s helmet. I’d never looked him in the eye.

    Ewan McGregor

    It’s great to see just how much of an impression the suit and design left with the actor. Reminds many of the first time they were faced with the imposing force that is Darth Vader and how scary he was for many of us when we saw the force of nature. He even highlighted that it was his first time working off a Stormtrooper as the Clone Troopers were CG at the time.

    It scared the shit out of me. I’m not joking. It gave me a proper jolt of absolute fear. I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s not acting. That’s real. I’m really, truly frightened right now.’ And the same thing would happen with the Stormtroopers. I’d worked with Clone troopers before, but so many of them were CGI. I never worked with Stormtroopers, and, again, I was like seven years old again. Because when you’re actually faced with a Stormtrooper, with a blaster, it’s like: ‘Fucking hell.’

    Ewan McGregor

    It shows how much has also changed in the productions, as while CG still remains an important part of modern filmmaking, more practical elements are being integrated into the projects. his excitement and “fear” to face off against Darth Vader may hopefully even find their way into the production, as it’ll be the first time that Obi-Wan realizes what happened to his former Padawan.

    Source: Total Film

  • Natalie Holt to Become First Woman Composer for Live-Action ‘Star Wars’ Project

    Natalie Holt to Become First Woman Composer for Live-Action ‘Star Wars’ Project

    Natalie Holt is headed to a galaxy far, far away.

    Holt, who is coming off the first season of Marvel Studios’ Loki, is set to become the first woman to score a live-action Star Wars project thanks to Obi-Wan Kenobi. The news was revealed courtesy of Vanity Fair, with the outlet revealing Holt teamed with Star Wars icon, John Williams, on the score with William crafting a new theme for Ewan McGregor’s character. This is yet another huge title for Holt, who is also set to score Batgirlfor DC and Warner Bros. 

    On getting to work with Williams with Obi-Wan, Holt noted her excitement. “Obviously, I’m just thrilled to be mentioned in the same breath as John Williams,” she said. “It’s been exciting and overwhelming at times, because I’m such a fan. I want to pay respect to the history of it, and do it justice as well.”

    So, how did Holt come to work with Williams on the project? The story of Williams’ involvement is a fun one as it turns out Williams approached Lucasfilm president, Kathleen Kennedy about the series. Per Holt, Williams wanted to write a theme for Obi-Wan because it is the “only legacy character that he hadn’t done.” 

    Holt makes it clear, however, that while Williams does craft the theme for Obi-Wan, she still brings her voice to the series. “There are elements to the show that are new and fresh, and I’ve been able to have my own interpretation with elements – that I can’t reveal. So, it’s been glorious, working with my hero and also bringing my own voice to the show.”

    Obi-Wan Kenobi debuts on Disney+ on May 27th. The series stars Ewan McGregor as the titular character and sees Deborah Chow serve as the showrunner. The six-episode series will premiere with two episodes in May, before going on to release an episode a week leading to the finale.

    Source: Vanity Fair.