‘Star Wars’: Ewan McGregor Wants More Films As Obi-Wan Kenobi
Star Wars prequel actor Ewan McGregor wants another shot at it. According to Den of Geek, he recently said he’d be interested in more films with him reprising his role as exiled Jedi master Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi. Speaking at a French promotional event, McGregor said he could bridge the gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.
“I’ve always thought there was a story to tell between my last one and Alec Guinness’ first one… It would be fun to film that story now I’m older… I’d be the right age.
“I’m forty-five, Alec Guinness was what, sixty? I could do two of them!”
He joked about bringing up the idea before in previous interviews, but made sure to note this is more his idea than Disney’s or Lucasfilm’s.
“Whenever I speak, it seems that I’m begging for work, it’s embarrassing!… There are no plans, no one approached me. But I’d be willing to do so.”
McGregor also went on regarding the opinion among some fans that the new film The Force Awakens was more remake than new entry in the series. He also commented on the apparent dislike of the movie that George Lucas may have had.
“It is interesting that George Lucas felt that the film did not advance the franchise the way he did. I do not know what to think… It took me back to the original films, and we all like the first films. I love seeing Stormtroopers and hear the music again. And the new actors are really excellent.”
He notes the potential of Star Wars standalone movies, like the upcoming Rogue One, to cover lots of different thematic and stylistic territory. McGregor also gets in a dig at the other huge, Disney-owned cinematic universe.
“What is good with Star Wars is that it is very extensive. They have a kind of carte blanche to do stories in this universe that are completely different.
“That is their challenge. Marvel is tough because it is always more or less the same movie every time, the same pattern. Hopefully they will explore different genres under the banner of Star Wars… And one of them could be a feature film with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Or two! The Obi-Wan Kenobi Story Part 1 and Part 2! “
What would McGregor’s proposed Obi-Wan movie be about? It is not clear at the moment. Cinema Blend writer Dirk Libbey speculates on how to thread the needle between Episode III and IV.
“The end of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith leaves the character on Tatooine, ostensibly watching over the infant Luke Skywalker and basically just in hiding from the growing Empire. Within the context of the films, there isn’t a lot of reason for Obi-Wan to get involved in any major events. Few people even know that Kenobi is alive, much less where to find him. A new film would have to create some crisis that would draw him out, without changing any of the existing mythology. It could certainly be done, but it could be a bit tricky.”
There have been some past (but mostly limited) attempts at filling in these story gaps in the Star Wars Legends Expanded Universe. The 2005 book The Last of the Jedi: The Desperate Mission found Obi-Wan Kenobi trying to avoid Imperial forces. The 2006 short story “The Last One Standing” had Kenobi fight off Tusken raiders from Luke Skywalker’s adoptive home of Owen Lars on the planet Tatooine. An issue of the 2007 comic book Star Wars Legacy called “Claws of the Dragon” had a variation on that theme, with Kenobi in battle with a rogue Jedi leading a Tusken raider army.
Star Wars: Ewan McGregor on returning to play Obi-Wan Kenobi. He seems quite keen. https://t.co/GVPJWXhmiF pic.twitter.com/aWB9o0X2lp
— Den Of Geek UK (@denofgeek) October 12, 2016
Is the idea of a new movie featuring Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan interesting to you? What would you make the film about, without disturbing continuity? Or is that part of the character’s story better left alone? Leave a comment below.
[Featured Image by LucasFilm/20th Century Fox]
