Cameras have at last started rolling on the upcoming Disney+ series,Obi-Wan Kenobi. Several shots from filming have now been revealed, and while they don’t give much away, we can see a little hint of the desert planet Tatooine, as well as a Bantha, the large creatures used as beasts of burden by Tusken Raiders.Star Warsfans have been waiting a long, long time for a standalone project centered onObi-Wan Kenobito come to fruition, and it is very exciting to see that it is finally happening.
Very few details are yet known about the Disney+Obi-Wan Kenobiseries, but what we do know is that the events of the show will take place some ten years after the ending of 2005’sStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Along with picking up with an older, no doubt lonelier Obi-Wan, now in exile on Tatooine and watching over Luke Skywalker, the series will also continue one of the biggest rivalries inStar Warslore, Obi-Wan versus Darth Vader, an event which Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy has described as “the rematch of the century.”
Official details that have been revealed so far state thatHayden Christensen will return as Darth Vader, joining Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, with earlier reports claiming that the series will involve Vader attempting to track down his old mentor and friend. Rumors have continued to circulate that, considering the time period of the show, ayoung Luke Skywalkerwill also be involved in some capacity. McGregor was recently asked about this idea, to which the actor played coy saying, “That’s very possible. I don’t know.” McGregor himself has even teased another clash of lightsabers between the pair, with the actor saying that they will have “another swing at each other” during the events ofObi-Wan Kenobi.
The series will also avoid one of the biggest criticisms of the prequel series, the overwhelming use of green screen, with McGregor recently teasing that the show will feel a lot more real, something that is evidenced by these images from filming. “They project [the virtual backgrounds] onto this massive LED screen,” McGregor said, revealing thatObi-Wan Kenobiwill make use of the new StageCraft technology pioneered onThe Mandalorian. “So, if you’re in a desert, you’re standing in the middle of a desert. If you’re in the snow, you’re surrounded by snow. And if you’re in a cockpit of a starfighter, you’re in space. It’s going to feel so much more real.”
The MandalorianandBetter Call Saul’sDeborah Chow is set to direct theObi-Wan Kenobiseries and has also offered some insight into the show’s setting, revealing that the plot begins from a simple premise: “Just being a Jedi, it’s not safe.” With filming now underway, we can expect to see and hear a lot more about the series.Obi-Wan Kenobiis expected to debut onDisney+sometime in 2022. The series is just one of severalStar Warsprojects intended for Disney+, includingThe Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka Tano, and a third season ofThe Mandalorian. This comes to us courtesy ofKessel Run Transmissions' Noah Outlaw.
