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Ewan McGregor Wants to Spend the ‘Rest of His Career’ Playing Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ewan McGregor has said he would happily spend the rest of his career playing Obi-Wan Kenobi, urging Disney to commission another film or series featuring the character. Speaking to E! News, the actor said he remains ready and willing but that Disney has not shown the same enthusiasm, despite years of unexplored story between the end of the 2022 Obi-Wan Kenobi series and Obi-Wan's appearance as an old man in the original Star Wars film.
McGregor described wanting to explore the gap between leaving young Luke Skywalker with his aunt and uncle and reappearing decades later as the aged hermit played by Alec Guinness, noting he has around ten years before reaching Guinness's age at that point in the story. The Obi-Wan Kenobi series, which reunited him with Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, was popular with audiences despite some critical reservations, but Disney has scaled back its live-action Star Wars output, leaving a second season or film uncertain. Any future project may hinge on the box-office performance of next year's Star Wars: Starfighter, following the disappointing reception of The Mandalorian and Grogu.
In short
- McGregor wants to keep playing Obi-Wan Kenobi indefinitely
- He says he's ready, but Disney hasn't committed yet
- Future plans may depend on Star Wars: Starfighter's success
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
An enthusiastic and committed actor like McGregor is a valuable asset in an expensive franchise, and the character has genuine narrative potential in the unexplored gap before his appearance in A New Hope. The 2022 series proved popular with audiences despite mixed critical reviews, suggesting real demand exists. With only a finite window before McGregor ages out of the role, moving forward with another film or series could capitalise on proven star power and audience interest whilst both remain available.
The case against
Star Wars has recently struggled with audience reception, evidenced by The Mandalorian and Grogu's disappointing performance and the previous Obi-Wan series' mixed critical response. Spreading resources across multiple projects in a franchise experiencing fatigue risks further brand erosion; focusing on fewer, higher-quality ventures or exploring fresh characters and stories may better serve the franchise's long-term health. Until upcoming projects like Starfighter demonstrate renewed audience appetite, proceeding with another established character's project carries significant financial and creative risk.
Explained simply
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Jedi, a member of an order of guardians in the Star Wars universe. Ewan McGregor first played the younger Obi-Wan in the prequel films, set before the original Star Wars trilogy, where Alec Guinness played him as an old man.
The character’s story spans decades, including the years after the fall of the Jedi and before he appears in the original film. McGregor returned to the role in the 2022 series Obi-Wan Kenobi, which also featured Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan’s former friend who becomes Darth Vader.
Disney owns Star Wars and decides which films and series to make. Further Obi-Wan stories would draw on the years between the 2022 series and the original film, while also depending on the company’s plans for the franchise.