鈥� now that鈥檚 a name casual 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� fans haven鈥檛 heard in a long time. The Jedi master gets his own moment in the suns with a new six-part Disney+ series starring Ewan McGregor.
It鈥檚 set halfway between George Lucas鈥� two trilogies: 10 years after 鈥淓pisode III: Revenge of the Sith,鈥� which marked McGregor鈥檚 last appearance as the character, and nine years before the late Alec Guinness made his
McGregor said during production. He listened to Guinness鈥� dialogue on a sound file in his dressing room and took more time after scenes were filmed 鈥渏ust to do a little extra Alec Guinness-y take 鈥� just to make sure.
鈥淚t鈥檚 got to feel like him. I studied him in that movie,鈥� the 51-year-old actor said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always got to be somebody who ends up becoming Alec Guinness at the end of the day.鈥�
A Kenobi project featuring McGregor has been in development for years, originally as a film with Stephen Daldry attached to direct. That was tossed in the scrap heap after the With the launch of Disney+ the next year, Lucasfilm pinned its hopes on a streaming series. (Kenobi was also featured in the animated series 鈥淭he Clone Wars,鈥� which ran for seven seasons and is now on Disney+.)
Filming took place last year primarily on Industrial Light & Magic鈥檚 technologically innovative Los Angeles-area soundstages, where massive LED screens create virtual worlds that surround performers.
As with the also filmed there, producers have kept most details cloaked in secrecy. But here鈥檚 what to look for as the first two episodes premiere Friday:
WHAT鈥橲 KENOBI UP TO?
That was Kenobi鈥檚 plan for Luke Skywalker at the conclusion of 2005鈥瞫 鈥淩evenge of the Sith.鈥� Luke and Leia鈥檚 mother died just after their birth, and Jimmy Smits鈥� regal Bail Organa adopted Leia. Kenobi brought Luke to live with family on Tatooine, and that鈥檚 where the new series begins. , 10-year-old Skywalker in sight. The kid seems alright 鈥� for now. But be ready to pack up that starfighter. The series introduces a new planet to the galaxy: Daiyu, with a glowing urban Hong Kong-like setting perfect for rooftop blaster shootouts.
WHICH VERSION OF KENOBI IS THIS?
Kenobi ended 鈥淓pisode III鈥� failing to sway his padawan away from the dark side 鈥� then slicing off Anakin鈥檚 limbs and leaving him in flames. He鈥檚 torn with anguish and regret, even before he knows But 鈥淓pisode IV鈥� finds Kenobi That mindset shift is key to 鈥淜enobi,鈥� said director Deborah Chow: 鈥淗ow did he go from the banks of Mustafar to the calm of Sir Alec Guinness? Something obviously happened there, between those 20 years. So for us, in large part, that was why we felt we actually had a story to tell.鈥�
WHO IS ON THE DARK SIDE?
Trailers establish Jedi-hunting Inquisitors, played by Rupert Friend, Sung Kang and , as the key antagonists. But don鈥檛 forget Vader. Chow wanted to include the black-suited villain to up the stakes for Kenobi. 鈥淓motionally, so much of the weight that he鈥檚 carrying is coming primarily from what happened with Anakin. So everything kind of kept leading us back to that,鈥� she said.
WHITHER VADER?
It鈥檚 unclear whose voice audiences will hear, but Hayden Christensen again dons the black helmet for the role. 鈥淵ou put it on and it just informs so much the way you feel. And for me, it was very sort of cathartic in a way too just because this is a character that has meant a lot to me and has sort of stayed with me over the years 鈥� and getting to come back and continue with it was an emotional experience.鈥�
WHO ELSE IS AROUND?
Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse reprise their roles from the prequels as Owen and Beru Lars, Luke鈥檚 aunt and uncle. Expect other established characters to make as-yet-unannounced appearances in either the main story or through flashbacks, used heavily in the other live action 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� series. Rosario Dawson鈥檚 Ahsoka Tano, starring in her own upcoming series, will almost certainly drop in. Could we see a 鈥淔orce ghost鈥� version of Kenobi鈥檚 teacher Qui-Gon Jinn, played by Liam Neeson? A young Leia with Smits鈥� Organa? Chewbacca or Darth Maul? They鈥檒l soon reveal themselves to viewers.
Ryan Pearson, The Associated Press
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