Now that Lucasfilm is officially finished with its first Disney+ series of 2022 in The Book of Boba Fett, Star Wars’ story will take a blast to the past with Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. The limited series will see McGregor return to the iconic role for the first time since 2005’s Revenge of the Sith as fans see his exile on Tatooine fully come to life.
For all the excitement surrounding McGregor's long-awaited return to the role, the marketing campaign for Obi-Wan Kenobi has yet to truly kick off ahead of its release this year.
Fans know that the titular Jedi will have an all-star supporting cast around him, which includes Prequel Trilogy co-star Hayden Christensen in his return as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. Featuring Eternals star Kumail Nanjiani along with Rupert Friend's Grand Inquisitor, this show will add a new layer of exciting storytelling in between the Prequel Trilogy and the original movies.
Although filming is complete, the only true promotional material for this series came in a short video featuring McGregor along with concept art teasing some of the show's major moments. Now, thanks to Disney's latest official Earning's Call, fans now have a date to set on their calendar for Obi-Wan's comeback.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Sets Its Premiere Date
According to Disney CEO Bob Chapek during Disney's Q1 Earnings Call, Lucasfilm is planning to begin streaming Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+ on May 25, 2022.
This will come three weeks after the May 4 release date that fans were originally expecting for Ewan McGregor's limited series. Additionally, Disney released the show's first official poster with McGregor's titular hero and the show's title card and release date.
The poster features McGregor wandering through the desert in a set of tattered robes, having grown out his hair and beard during his exile. He's also holding a lightsaber in his right hand, although it doesn't appear to be his own.
The May 25 release date is also a historical one for the Star Wars franchise, as Episode IV: A New Hope also released on the same day in 1977.
Obi-Wan Set for Epic Disney+ Adventure
Star Wars has found a way to expand on the history it's built over the years through various new Disney+ shows, which will only continue in Obi-Wan Kenobi. With that history from the Prequel Trilogy coming back into play, it seems only fitting that the series premiere date is the same one on which the franchise started nearly 45 years ago; it's also the very movie in which Alec Guinness' take on the hero perished by Darth Vader's hand.
It's unclear why Lucasfilm didn't utilize the May 4 Wednesday date, whether it was to separate itself further from Marvel's Moon Knight or other new projects. Regardless, May 25 will still hold plenty of meaning as Lucasfilm brings its second live-action Disney+ project of the year.
As for the poster itself, the imagery perfectly encapsulates where Obi-Wan's journey has taken him post-Episode III during his exile on Tatooine.
While the robes and his slightly disheveled look are clearly important to focus on, the poster also includes a fun Easter egg in the form of the lightsaber he's holding in his right hand. Fans are already theorizing that this could be Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber that he left on Mustafar in Episode III, which comes more into play as Obi-Wan and Vader meet each other again in this show.
This first poster is already building massive hype for McGregor's first Disney+ appearance, although the long-awaited first trailer is still waiting in the wings. Whether that look comes at Super Bowl LVI is a mystery, but at the very least, having the show's release date set will keep the fanbase at bay for some time.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is now set to begin streaming on Disney+ on May 25, 2022.
