The galaxy far, far away has a lot of projects coming down the line in the near future, but currently, all eyes are on Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Disney+ show will premiere on May 27, and it officially marks Ewan McGregor's return to Star Wars. This will be his first appearance since 2005's Revenge of the Sith and he will be joined by Hayden Christensen, who is returning as Darth Vader.
At the end of Revenge of the Sith, Christensen's Anakin Skywalker officially dons the Darth Vader helmet and cape, becoming more machine than man. Since Obi-Wan Kenobi is set 10 years after the events of that film, Vader will be busy hunting down Jedi along with his Inquisitors, but he will eventually learn of his former master's whereabouts, leading to a face-off that has been deemed the "rematch of the century."
With marketing for the upcoming series beginning to ramp up, Christensen has already begun to talk about returning to the world of Star Wars. He recently stated that his preparation for his reprisal didn't just include watching all of the movies but also going through the animated shows - The Clone Wars and Rebels - as well.
Christensen has also been rumored to be in the upcoming Ahsoka series on Disney+ as well, and the actor has recently given further insight into what his future holds.
Hayden Christensen's Future in Star Wars
In an interview with Total Film, Hayden Christensen sat down to talk about the upcoming Disney+ series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as if he will have a future in the Star Wars universe.
There have already been rumors that Christensen will appear in the Ahsoka series that is set to premiere on Disney+ sometime in 2023. While Disney or Lucasfilm haven't confirmed anything as of right now, the actor teased that "the extent of this journey" is something that "remains to be seen," but right now it is just "a privilege" to be appearing in Obi-Wan Kenobi:
"The extent of this journey, I think, remains to be seen. But what a privilege to get to come back and do this, and to be a part of this project."
Christensen also expressed his excitement about returning to the franchise, and specifically mentioned that it was "a lot of fun" to get into the "mindset and the emotional state of Darth Vader." During the majority of the actor's time in the prequel trilogy, he played Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and only got to spend "a couple of scenes" as Vader:
"When George [Lucas] had brought me onto the prequels, it was to play Anakin. He gets knighted as Darth Vader towards the end, and for a couple of scenes I get to put the suit on. But my journey with the character was with Anakin Skywalker. But the character? He’s such a complex character. And now, getting to explore the mindset and the emotional state of Darth Vader, has been a lot of fun."
Since the confirmation that Darth Vader would be appearing in Obi-Wan Kenobi, many fans have wondered if James Earl Jones would be coming back as the voice actor to deliver the character's lines. Jones is the man behind Vader's iconic voice in all the original trilogy films as well as Rogue One, and Star Wars: Rebels.
Christensen was asked if he could spill any information on whether Jones was returning, to which he responded with "no comment."
It's Not Over, Anakin
Hayden Christensen's return to Star Wars is something that caught many fans by surprise. After the prequel trilogy was released, there was a slim chance that any of those actors would be coming back to tell more stories set in the galaxy's future due to the original trilogy.
However, other projects containing some of those same characters did end up happening, but in the form of animation. The Clone Wars explored the years between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, and Rebels gave viewers a front-seat view of the rise of the Galactic Empire. The two shows, while not really connected to one another, did have something in common - Ahsoka Tano.
In The Clone Wars, Ahsoka was the sole focus of the majority of the show, specifically her relationship with her master, Anakin Skywalker. The close bond that the two formed derailed in the later seasons, and they even faced off with one another in Season 2 of Rebels, but even through all the hardships, she still managed to survive.
Season 2 of The Mandalorian confirmed that Ahsoka was alive, and pieces of her story have been seen in that show, as well as in The Book of Boba Fett. Since both projects are set after Return of the Jedi, that would mean that Anakin couldn't return in the flesh, but there is a good chance that Christensen could return as the character's Force ghost.
It would also not be a stretch to suggest that Ahsoka will feature flashbacks to The Clone Wars. That is another way that Christensen could appear in the show, and it would allow fans to see live-action interactions between the characters from that time period.
As far as other projects go, Andor could also serve as a likely place for Christensen to turn up. It has been confirmed that the show will span multiple seasons, and seeing as how Vader appeared in Rogue One and played a large role in trying to shut down the Rebel Alliance, Diego Luna's character could very well be pitted against the Sith Lord at some point.
