Star Wars prequel trilogy star Ewan McGregor says he’s still interested in doing a Star Wars spinoff movie featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi. Hot off the success of such films as Trainspotting and Velvet Underground in the late 1990s, McGregor was starting to come into his own as an actor in the UK, when Hollywood came calling with the biggest opportunity of his career – to play the young version of Sir Alec Guinness’ famed Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

The Phantom Menace offered McGregor the chance to not only play the apprentice to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), but to also play a leading role in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith thereafter, as Obi-Wan trains Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) – before losing him to the Dark Side. Of course, the last time we saw McGregor’s Obi-Wan in Revenge of the Sith, he was handing off baby Luke Skywalker to Owen Lars (Joel Edgerton) and Aunt Beru (Bonnie Piesse) to shelter the infant from his father-turned-Sith Lord, Darth Vader; only to disappear in the Tatooine desert, thereafter.

McGregor’s Obi-Wan can briefly be heard in Star Wars: The Force Awakens during Rey’s vision, after she grabs Luke’s lightsaber for the first time. Following the success of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story last year, fans have been hoping more than ever for a Star Wars anthology movie with McGregor reprising Obi-Wan. And with Star Wars Day last week and the 40th Anniversary of the release of A New Hope on May 25, McGregor’s naturally being asked if he’s still interested in such a spinoff film. McGregor addressed the idea on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, telling the eponymous talk show host:

“I would. It’s got to the point where I’ve been asked — and I don’t mean any offense — I’ve been asked this question so many times, and I answer the questions when I’m asked them, because I was brought up like that, polite – it’s got to the point now where it looks like I’m touting for work at Disney’s front door (feigning a knocking motion), like, ‘Give me the Obi-Wan spinoff.’ Of course, I’d be happy to do it.”
McGregor, of course, doesn’t need to find a way to get into good graces of Disney. He became a part of another billion dollar franchise at the Mouse House by playing the candelabra Lumiere in the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast and has since lined up another Disney movie role, playing the namesake of the upcoming Christopher Robin. Disney and Lucasfilm have yet to comment on the probability of such an Obi-Wan spinoff film happening, but the character himself has already become a part of the modern era of the Star Wars franchise – between his Force Awakens “cameo” and appearance on the animated TV show, Star Wars Rebels (see above).

But first things first: Since it didn’t come at Star Wars Celebration last month, many fans are wondering if the announcement of an Obi-Wan spinoff starring McGregor is something that could happen at Disney D23 convention in Anaheim, California, this July. If that were to happen, then McGregor would certainly be happy… if only so he would stop having to reiterate that he’s interested in the film to begin with.




[Screen Rant]