If the latest news is to be believed, there is an Obi-Wan Kenobi Film in our future.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Academy Award nominated director Stephen Daldry is in talks to head up a solo Obi-Wan Kenobi film as the next A Star Wars Story film. Currently there is no Star Wars film slated for 2020, but with Disney already making it clear we can expect a film a year, you know the company has to have Lucasfilm hard at work on one.
Sources for the report say that an Obi-Wan Kenobi film is one of several projects under consideration with solo outings for Yoda and Boba Fett both under consideration at this time.
What isn’t known is if there is a solo Obi-Wan film is if Ewan McGregor would return to the role. My guess is he would as he has stated in numerous interviews he would be up for it, and even recorded a single line of dialogue for Star Wars The Force Awakens. (It’s at the end of Rey’s vision in Maz’s castle.) Clearly he doesn’t have an issue with the franchise as some have speculated over the years if he comes in for a one-off line.
As to what story could be told in an Obi-Wan film, and this is entirely speculation on my part from here on out, there is a 20 year gap we don’t know about. Once he delivers Luke to the Lars family, the assumption is he sat on Tatooine for 20 years just being a hermit and somehow adopting the name Ben Kenobi. We know from the Rebels cartoon that he had at least one encounter with Darth Maul (if you don’t watch the animated shows, you should, but yes, Maul survived the fight on Naboo), so sometimes trouble came and found him.
An easy story? An old friend comes and finds him or stumbles on him, Obi-Wan leaves his guard duties for a few days for an adventure, somehow comes across the name Ben, goes back to being a hermit. It’s an easy enough story. Or… perhaps someone comes to Tatooine having figured out who Luke is and he has to protect him. In a 20 year gap there are plenty of stories that could be told without screwing up the timeline of A New Hope.
Lets face it, McGregor was easily the best part of the prequels, and I don’t think anyone would hate seeing him back in the role. As for a Yoda film… eh. I like him having very little backstory. And Boba Fett… oh, Boba. I’ve never been in the whole “HE’S THE BEST THING EVER!” camp, and after learning his canon backstory, even less so. I know I’m in the minority in this case, however.
Give me an Obi-Wan film with McGregor, and do it now.
