Ewan McGregor Wants to Spend the 'Rest of His Career' Playing Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ewan McGregor is really eager to pick up his lightsaber for another Obi-Wan Kenobi adventure, should Disney give him the opportunity.
When speaking with E! News, McGregor was asked about recent comments stating that there are a decade of stories left for Obi-Wan Kenobi and that he wants to keep telling them. He reaffirmed that he's raring to go, but Disney isn't.
"I'm ready whenever they are," he said. "They just seem to not be ready, but I'm up for it. At the end of the Obi-Wan series, I'm walking off into the desert, I've decided to leave. I've realized I can't keep the pressure on Luke. I realized he has to have his own childhood, so I leave him with Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. And I wander off... and Qui-Gon's back. And we go off... but where are we going? And then the next time we find Obi-Wan Kenobi, he's Alec Guinness up in the mountains.
"What happens between those two moments is what I want to do and spend the rest of my career doing these stories. Stories, you know, series or movies. We've got plenty of time; I've got 10 years before I am Alec Guinesses' age. So come on, Disney!"
McGregor is, of course, referring to the fact that he played a young version of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel films. He was brought back a decade and a half after Revenge of the Sith to reprise the role in a mini-series set after that film, filling in some of the gaps between the two trilogies. However, the door was left open for Obi-Wan's return, as there are still years of stories where the character is unaccounted for.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series was well-received by critics and attracted high viewership on Disney+. Some were critical of certain aspects of the show, such as a young Princess Leia and the fact that Darth Vader comes face to face with Obi-Wan prior to A New Hope. However, fans were still happy to see McGregor back in the role alongside Hayden Christensen, who returned as Anakin Skywalker/Vader. Disney has pulled back a fair amount on its abundance of live-action Star Wars shows in recent years, meaning a second season of the show may be in doubt.
A movie may not be out of the question, but it might depend on the performance on Star Wars: Starfighter next year. The Mandalorian and Grogu was a major flop, especially given it was the first Star Wars film in seven years. If Starfighter also underperforms, it could create some questions about the strength of the franchise on the big screen going forward.
It's clear McGregor wants to tell as many stories as Obi-Wan as possible. Whether or not that opportunity arises remains to be seen. The Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series was initially planned as a trilogy of films, but that plan was tossed out the window when Disney+ became a priority for the company. Maybe there's a way to resurrect that idea now, but it seems clear that nothing is happening anytime soon.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.