‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Series Cast Announced, Production To Begin in April

Way back in 2019 it was announced that Disney+ would be making a series about Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi, with Ewan McGregor reprising his role from the Star Wars prequels (a role he inherited from Sir Alec Guinness). Today, Disney has revealed even more details about the cast and production of the highly-anticipated series, whose official title has been revealed as simply Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Who will star in Obi-Wan Kenobi?

McGregor, of course, as Obi-Wan Kenobi. And Hayden Christensen will return as Sith Lord Darth Vader. In today’s announcement, it was revealed that Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse will also return to the franchise. The two Australian actors portrayed Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru in the prequels Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. In addition, the cast includes Moses Ingram (best recognized as Jolene from The Queen’s Gambit), Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell, and Benny Safdie.

When will the series take place in the Star Wars timeline?

Obi-Wan Kenobi will pick up ten years after Revenge of the Sith (which means it’s also about ten years before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story). At the end of Sith, Anakin Skywalker assumed his new identity as Darth Vader, while Obi-Wan eventually moved to Tatooine and started going by the name Ben.

What else do we know about Obi-Wan Kenobi?

Obi-Wan Kenobi will begin shooting in April, 2021. There is no premiere date set just yet, but the special event series, as it is being referred to, will premiere exclusively on Disney+. Mandalorian director Deborah Chow will direct the series.

What don’t we know about the series? (a.k.a., let’s wildly speculate!)

Judging from the all-adult cast that has been announced, we’re not sure if young Luke or Leia will feature in the series, but if they do, seeing as Owen and Beru are set to star, this could potentially also open the door for Jimmy Smits to return as Leia’s adoptive father, Bail Organa. And Ian McDiarmid isn’t listed in the cast either, but given he’s sort of running the show at the end of Revenge of the Sith it’s certainly a possibility. And obviously, we’re also just curious to see what Hayden Christen’s hair is going to be doing this time around, particularly since most of it got burned off at the end of Sith. And what about Obi-Wan’s good friend Jar-Jar Binks? And Watto, and Jabba the Hutt, and…