While The Mandalorian will be arriving on Disney+ in October to give fans the exceedingly anticipated second season, other corners of the Star Wars TV universe aren't quite as fully developed just yet. For instance, the only big news we've heard about the Cassian Andor series has come in casting announcements, and Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series hasn't even been able to boast that. However, the Star Wars prequel trilogy star did reveal that plans appear to be in place to finally start filming the long-gestating project.
As a large number of TV and film projects are getting back into production mode after a long pandemic-inspired shutdown, it sounds like Disney+ has a big-picture vision for bringing Obi-Wan Kenobi back to fans in live-action for the first time since 2005's Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. (Clone Wars audiences have gotten to see lots more of him in animated form.) Here's what Ewan McGregor told Entertainment Tonight in reference to the new project's production goal.
Spring next year, we start. I’m really excited about it. It's gonna be great, I think.
While it would have been perfectly feasible to learn that the Disney+ Obi-Wan series would be in pre-production limbo long enough for all of us to turn into bearded island hermits like Luke Skywalker, that's thankfully not going to be the case. At least, assuming that everything goes well with the world and there are proper procedures in place to keep all cast and crew members safe during filming. Ever since March, it's been all but impossible to confidently make plans for the future in so many contexts, but while future delays are always possible, I'd prefer for the optimism to be strong with this one.
It was only recently when Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy reestablished and confirmed that the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi project will be a limited series, as opposed to something with a more open ending. Some fans were speculating with (a new) hope that showrunner Deborah Chow and other producers would find a way to extend the Jedi's story arc across multiple seasons. It's obviously understandable why Disney+ would want to start smaller in building out its TV spinoff slate, but a character as grand as Obi-Wan does deserve all the screen time possible.
Plus, it sounds like Ewan McGregor might be interested in returning to the role after the first season is complete. Here's what else he had to say:
As I understand, it's a standalone season. We'll see. Who knows?
Ewan McGregor already expects the TV show to be a more pleasurable experience than filming the prequel trilogy was. Of course, it remains to be seen just how hectic that production schedule will be for the actor and others, so McGregor may later feel completely content with the Obi-Wan spinoff ending after 6-10 episodes. Hopefully this project will be able to utilize some of the technology that Jon Favreau has been working with on The Mandalorian, which has made filming for that series easier and more controllable. Deborah Chow worked with the tech for the Season 1 episodes she directed, so she's already versed in it.
Of course, if Deborah Chow wants to go all out and put it together George Lucas-style, that would be pretty awesome as well. So long as the production starts up as early in 2021 as possible. Like, maybe right after everyone wakes up after celebrating New Year's Eve.
As of this point, it's not entirely clear when Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi show will be released, or even when it will get an official title. But Ewan McGregor can soon be seen opposite Charley Boorman for the new Apple+ travel series Long Way Up, which will debut its first three episodes on September 18. For now, stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more information as it becomes available, and head to our Fall TV 2020 premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are on the way in the near future.
