The Obi-Wan Kenobi series is one of the most anticipated Star Wars projects, bringing back Ewan McGregor as the titular Jedi to wrap up his story.
Not only is Kenobi himself returning, but Padawan Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, as played by Hayden Christensen, will also join the cast of characters.
Several other icons from the Star Wars universe have been rumored to star alongside everyone's favorite Tatooine hermit, including The Mandalorian's Temuera Morrison. Even The Phantom Menace's Liam Neeson has voiced interest in reprising his role as Qui-Gon Jinn.
With the addition of Uncharted's cinematographer to the production crew, many have wondered whether filming would be ramping up soon. Ewan McGregor has shared an update on the film's production, providing a window for when and where cameras will start rolling...
CAMERAS ROLL IN SPRING FOR KENOBI SERIES
During a marathon stream with comedian Eddie Izzard, Ewan McGregor made a guest appearance to discuss the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
McGregor confirmed that the show will be filming in Los Angeles, California in "late Spring," while commenting on many of the rumors that circulate the series' production:
"We start making it, um, in the late Spring and [we're] gonna be shooting it here in L.A. and not, as...it's so funny, every week, there's a new report...my dad keeps sending me links saying 'I thought you were shooting it in L.A.,' because there's another tabloid, y'know, exposé that we're shooting it in some bizarre town in somewhere, and then we're meant to be making it in Boston, and then we're meant to be making it -- no, it wasn't Boston, it was Boston, England...
McGregor also revealed that the Obi-Wan Kenobi series will shoot similarly to The Mandalorian:
"But we're not, we're shooting it in L.A. and, uh, we're shooting it much in the way that The Mandalorian series was shot using some of that technology."
In response to Izzard praising The Mandalorian and asking whether the Star Wars star was a fan, McGregor agreed, saying he "really liked it:"
"I loved that, I really am [a fan]. I really liked it. I like the format of it and I like the, sort of, um, the Western nature of it, like it's an old-fashioned TV Western, y'know? It's brilliant."
McGregor also sang showrunner Deborah Chow's praises, telling Izzard she's "brilliant." The Obi-Wan Kenobi actor then reminisced on how long it had been since the prequels, finding the prospects of the upcoming series almost "more exciting" than filming his trilogy.
"It'll just be great to do it again. It's so funny...I did my last one in 2003 and it's such a long time ago...The idea of doing it again now is, sort of, more exciting even then it was then, I think. I just, um, thrilled I get a chance to play him again and...I've always felt that there was, that there was a story about him between, y'know, my ones and Alec Guinness' ones...so it should be, should be really interesting."
Izzard asked whether the production would be using the Volume for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, to which McGregor replied "Yeah, I think so."
The full clip can be viewed below:
#EwanMcGregor chatted during Eddie's final marathon about the new #ObiWanKenobi project, #TheMandalorian series and #StarWars filming. Use the force to donate and #MakeHumanityGreatAgain at https://t.co/8m60VqJ7vE - The Beekeepers pic.twitter.com/T21FGoCS2P
— Eddie Izzard (@eddieizzard) February 1, 2021
DISNEY+ INSPIRATION FROM THE MANDALORIAN
It appears that the Obi-Wan Kenobi series will indeed be shooting very soon. Ewan McGregor previously hinted at a March start date, but his new statement seems to suggest that filming could begin around as late as April or early May. With many restrictions and protocols currently required for filming, it is understandable that the series' timeline may have been shifted slightly.
The idea of Kenobi using technology from The Mandalorian and the Volume is promising, suggesting that the show will match, if not exceed, the level of production seen on Star Wars' first Disney+ outing. As mentioned by McGregor himself, the use of this technology should also serve to aid the actors in immersing themselves in the galaxy far, far away.
It is also reassuring to hear that McGregor is a fan of The Mandalorian himself, connecting the universe just that little bit more.
No solid release date has been given for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, but it should deliver on its promise of "the rematch of the century."
