The Obi-Wan Kenobi anthology will reportedly be filming in Ireland. Fans have long been clamoring for a Kenobi spinoff. Not only is it practical for Lucasfilm considering that they could easily tap Ewan McGregor to reprise the role, there’s also the unexplored time period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope that they could definitely tackle .

Naturally, fans rejoiced when a huge development on the Kenobi spinoff arrived last year after news broke out that Billy Elliot and The Reader director Stephen Daldry is reportedly in line to helm the film which is set to begin filming in January 2019 at Pinewood Studios UK, under the working title of Joshua Tree – a timeline that backs up reports that the film is set for a 2020 release date. Despite Lucasfilm’s continued silence on the matter, brand new intel might prove that the company is indeed quietly working on the film, perhaps just waiting for the right time to announce the project.

Belfast Telegraph reports George Lucas was in town before Christmas, supposedly checking out locations for the long-rumored Kenobi spinoff. The Star Wars creator was photographed eating at a high-end restaurant which started the aforementioned rumors. An insider corroborated with the story saying that they’ve “been told there will be work throughout 2019 because Star Wars is coming to Belfast,” as Lucas was given a guided tour of the Paint Hall Studios. “It was all very low key, only a few people knew that the old guy walking round the set was George Lucas. It was only when we were told about Star Wars coming here next year that it dawned on us that was why he was here before Christmas,” he added.


It’s still important to note, however, that this is by no means a confirmation that the Kenobi film is moving forward. The timing seems a bit odd, especially now that Lucasfilm has just announced two new Star Wars movie series: one from Rian Johnson and another from Game of Thrones showrunners, D.B. Weiss and David Benioff. Lucas is also no longer involved with the development of the films, which raises questions about why he would be the one scouting locations. While McGregor has repeated on several occasions that he is willing to step back in the Star Wars franchise to reprise Kenobi, he has also been adamant that the project is still nothing but rumors. Despite this, the fandom continues to have confidence that the Kenobi spinoff is next on the company’s anthology series following 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and this summer’s Solo: A Star Wars Story.

All things considered, it’s best to take this news with a grain of salt. The Star Wars project in question could possibly be the still-untitled Episode IX directed by J.J. Abrams which is scheduled to start principal photography this summer and coincides with the supposed filming timeline in Ireland. Ireland has been a favorite backdrop for the current saga films with the iconic Skelling Michael doubling as Luke Skywalker’s secluded sanctuary of Planet Ahch-To in both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi so it’s possible that Abrams would once again want to shoot in the country.

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