The latest live-action Star Wars TV show only just released its finale on Disney+, but the streamer isn't making fans wait until May the 4th to get the next piece of big TV news. Unfortunately, the news isn't that Obi-Wan Kenobi (which marks Ewan McGregor's return to the franchise) is debuting on the unofficial Star Wars holiday on May 4, but at least it won't be too long after: May 25.
Yes, Obi-Wan Kenobi will make its long-awaited premiere on Wednesday, May 25 on Disney+ as a limited series picking up a decade after Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, and therefore well ahead of the action of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett in the Star Wars timeline. Speculation was that Disney+ would release the new show on May 4, particularly since that day is a Wednesday, but fans will have to wait another few weeks after for the first episode.
In a fun bit of trivia, May 25 is a big anniversary for the franchise, even if it's not the unofficial holiday. A New Hope premiered as the very first Star Wars movie that started it all back on May 25, 1977. Considering Obi-Wan Kenobi will be one of the TV series that helps bridge the gap between the tragedy of Revenge of the Sith and Luke Skywalker joining the Rebellion in A New Hope, that date is arguably even more fitting than May the 4th.
The release date news didn't come with confirmation about whether or not Obi-Wan Kenobi will continue the Disney+ model of releasing weekly episodes or offer the whole batch for binge-watching, but it's probably safe to assume that – like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and the animated Star Wars offerings – the Ewan McGregor series will release weekly.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is particularly notable as the first Star Wars live-action series to bring back the biggest stars from the films for TV, although Andor will do the same when it premieres at a later date. Ewan McGregor isn't the only big name from the prequels who will appear either, as Hayden Christensen will return as Darth Vader. Obi-Wan might not be thrilled to see Vader again for a rematch, but McGregor and Christensen were reportedly very excited to be working together again, according to Kathleen Kennedy.
There are plenty of questions about Christensen as Vader, considering the last look of Anakin in Revenge of the Sith was Vader all suited up with James Earl Jones voicing him; however Obi-Wan Kenobi reunites Vader with his former friend and master, it's something for fans to look forward to. The cast is also comprised of Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie. Rumors also suggest that a major Star Wars Rebels character could appear.
Any fans who were hoping that the end of The Book of Boba Fett would result in a post-credits preview of Obi-Wan Kenobi were out of luck, but the release date news came along with a poster that provided a look at what to expect, and it looks epic:
The poster doesn't actually give away much about what to expect from Obi-Wan Kenobi, unless Obi-Wan's choice of Tatooine-appropriate clothes and amount of hair counts. That said, the lightsaber in his hand looks like it could be Anakin's, which he of course took from Mustafar after their fateful duel and would eventually give to Luke in A New Hope. And I can't be the only one loving the shot of the iconic twin suns setting behind him.
The May 25 premiere of Obi-Wan Kenobi isn't quite as close as a May the 4th premiere would have been, but getting a premiere date is still good news. Andor is expected by the end of the year, as well as the second season of The Bad Batch. For now, you can find the Star Wars action that has released so far with a Disney+ subscription.
