In a strange and exciting twist for Star Wars fans, Hayden Christensen is back as Anakin... err Darth Vader, as he goes by after the fallout of Revenge of the Sith, for the new Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi, also starring Ewan McGregor. Ahead of seeing how the series plays out, Christensen spoke about Obi-Wan’s decisions following Revenge of the Sith, the Prequel Trilogy's concluding chapter.
CinemaBlend spoke to Hayden Christensen on the red carpet during Star Wars Celebration at the Anaheim Convention Center. During the interview, our own Law Sharma asked how Anakin’s history on Tatooine influences his performance as Darth Vader in the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series. In the Star Wars actor’s words:
I think Obi-Wan was very smart in bringing Luke (to Tatooine) because he knew that Vader would never show up. He’s got some not-so-great memories of his time there.
Of course, Hayden Christensen is keeping information thin so we can go into the new series without having all the Obi-Wan Kenobi surprises spoiled, especially regarding the return of Anakin Skywalker, now known as Darth Vader. At the end of Revenge of the Sith, a charred Anakin placed the mask on and became the villain who terrorizes the galaxy in the Original Trilogy. Obi-Wan Kenobi will tell a story in-between the events of both trilogies.
Although there's conflicting information over whether Anakin Skywalker was actually born on the desert planet of Tatooine, he grew up there before leaving his homeworld to join the Jedi Order at the age of 9 in The Phantom Menace. As an adult, Anakin returned to Tatooine (in Attack of the Clones) to find that his mother has been abducted by Tusken Raiders. When he found her, she died in his arms, and while consumed by grief and rage, Anakin slaughtered the entire village of Tusken Raiders. So yeah, “not-so-great memories” is about right.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series, directed by Deborah Chow, seeks to tell a “new” and “original” story about Ben Kenobi, per Chow’s recent words to CinemaBlend. The filmmaker shared that it was tricky to tell a story in between the Prequel and Original trilogies, but it was a great way to tell a “second act” for the beloved characters. Over the years, there’s been a lot of hate toward the prequel films, but as of late, there’s more nostalgia and love toward them. Hayden Christensen said it's been “heartwarming” to see the Prequel Trilogy gain more appreciation.
Obi-Wan Kenobi begins on Tatooine, where Ewan McGregor’s character is living a decade after the events of Revenge of the Sith, and he is watching over Anakin’s son, Luke. You can check out the first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi now with a Disney+ subscription, and new episodes will be released weekly on Wednesdays for the next month. You should also check out what other exciting upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows are on their way next.
