Obi-Wan Kenobi is heading to a small screen near you… eventually. Ewan McGregor is set to reprise his role for a TV show on Disney+ and, ever since that news hit, fans have had a lot to think through. Cut to showrunner and director Deborah Chow explaining why working on the Obi-Wan Kenobi show will be different from her work on The Mandalorian.
Deborah Chow directed two episodes of The Mandalorian’s first season. Now, she is turning her attention to the much-anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi show, a project that started out as a movie. It will be another Star Wars series for the Disney+ slate and since it's coming hot on the heels of The Mandalorian’s breakout success, there are bound to be comparisons.
Unlike her work on multiple installments of The Mandalorian, Deborah Chow will direct all of the episodes of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, a move that I imagine will add even more fluidity between the episodes. When asked how different that experience will be, Chow told The Hollywood Reporter:
It's definitely going to be different, just in terms of the sheer workload, obviously, of doing the whole thing. But in some ways, I'm going to miss having a team, and having people who are there to bounce ideas off of. But then obviously the flip side is, it is nice to have a coherent voice and know what you're doing from beginning to end.
It sounds like there will be an adjustment between the collaborative atmosphere of The Mandalorian versus the more solitary work that Deborah Chow will do on the Obi-Wan series. The Mandalorian saw several directors, including Bryce Dallas Howard, take the helm along with Chow.
Ewan McGregor has been kind enough to reveal a few light details about the TV show, teasing that it will pick up with Obi-Wan Kenobi between Episodes III and IV. Ensuing details about the show have kept fans on the edge of their seats. Of course, there has been some anxiety along the way. At one point, there were even false rumors of a cancellation.
Fans craving Star Wars-related TV have had Disney+ to count on while they wait for Obi-Wan Kenobi’s TV arrival. Despite a delay, the show finally seems to be moving forward. Filming on the series was said to begin early next year, which should put it in a good timeframe to avoid any delays resulting from the global health crisis.
John Wick 3’s executive producer, Joby Harald, will be taking over writing duties on the series from Hossein Amini. One thing that The Mandalorian will have that the Obi-Wan Kenobi show probably won't have is the mega-adorable Baby Yoda. It's very unlikely that he'll show up, but who knows?
In terms of who will star, a rumored recruit for the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show is none other than Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker. This is yet another element The Mandalorian will not have considering its post-Darth Vader timeline. Regardless, the Obi-Wan show is setting itself up to be different from its fellow Star Wars series, and it'll be exciting to see how it plays out.
The Obi-Wan series does not have a premiere date (or an official title) yet, but it will arrive on Disney+ at some point after this summer’s premieres.
