It’s been a while since we’ve seen Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars franchise—17 years, in fact. And with the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series set to debut in May on Disney+, many of us are feeling a bit of justification for our love of the prequel series. And today is our day.
Entertainment Weekly released a series of first-look pictures to celebrate the show and revealed the last printed Entertainment Weekly cover will be Ewan McGregor back on the front as Obi-Wan. McGregor was on the cover of EW back during 1999 for the release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
The images, however, give us a look at our Old Ben Kenobi. Talking with Entertainment Weekly leading up to the show’s release, McGregor gave us some insight into where we’re going to see Kenobi: “We find Obi-Wan at the beginning of our story rather broken, and faithless, and beaten, somewhat given up.”
Moses Ingram is also joining the series as a new “foe” for Obi-Wan Kenobi, as she is working for the Empire to find Jedi who survived the attack from Anakin and beyond.
“They share a common dark-side goal,” Ingram said to EW about her character’s journey with the Grand Inquisitor and Darth Vader. “They’re on the same team.” And she went on to say that what stands out most about her character is that “it is all heart.”
And for all us, there are so many characters coming back to the world of Star Wars that we missed and we’re excited to see like Joel Edgerton’s Uncle Owen! And it’s clear we’re not the only ones who love his work. “Thank you, George, for casting Joel Edgerton as Uncle Owen,” director Deborah Chow (and my soul) said. “That’s all I can say.”
A long time coming …
This feels like a Christmas present I’ve waited my entire life to get. It feels like I’ve been waiting around and finally my parents (Lucasfilm) gave me what I wanted. It isn’t a unique feeling. Most all of us who grew up with the prequels have been longing for a film or a series with Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan, and before I get the response of “NOT ONLY THOSE WHO GREW UP WITH THE PREQUELS CARE,” ssshhh. Let us have this one.
We know very little about the actual show, despite knowing what was happening to Obi-Wan Kenobi thanks to shows like Rebels, but it is an exciting time to learn about our favorite Jedi master. He’s lost everything, he’s alone, and he’s trying to keep Luke Skywalker safe when the Empire is searching for him and Darth Vader is after him.
McGregor brought something so unique to the role, and it felt foolish to not continue his story as Obi-Wan Kenobi. While it has been a long time, there is going to be just a flood of tears the minute that we hear “Hello there” once again.
(image: Lucasfilm)
