What does Ewan McGregor being cast as Black Mask mean for the Obi-Wan solo movie?

With Ewan McGregor set to play Black Mask, here’s a look at how that could affect his future in the Star Wars universe.

Ewan McGregor is slated to play the Batman villain Black Mask in Birds of Prey, according to Comicbook.com, and Star Wars fans have mixed feelings about the casting. This is obviously a huge win for the DC franchise, but how will McGregor’s casting affect his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi?

The idea of an Obi-Wan solo movie has been rumored for years, but as of yet there have been no significant advances towards that particular movie. With Disney putting a complete hold on spinoff films, we may never see Kenobi get his own movie. However, I remain hopeful that it is a possibility.

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But what if Disney does decide to make an Obi-Wan Kenobi movie? Ewan McGregor is the obvious choice to reprise the role, but it seems he is moving on to other things. Playing characters that are the polar opposite of the cheeky and wise Obi-Wan like Black Mask may actually hurt McGregor’s reputation in the long run.

McGregor is a brilliant actor, so I have no doubt he will nail such a sinister villain. However, what if he plays this role too well?

Everyone may see him as Black Mask instead of Obi-Wan, hurting his performance in the reprisal of the role. What if he doesn’t play the character good at all? He may be seen as a relic of the 2000s as opposed to an A-list star. I would like to explore these avenues.

The Timing

TOKYO, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER 05: Ewan McGregor attends the premiere of ‘Christopher Robin’ on September 5, 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Keith Tsuji/Getty Images for Disney)

The time in which McGregor will play Black Mask is a double-edged sword. While we do not have an exact date for the Birds of Prey movie, it is still going to be sandwiched between two very important places in his career.

McGregor is hot off of Christopher Robin, a critically acclaimed Disney movie geared towards a younger generation, and is practically waiting on the call to play Obi-Wan again. Putting Black Mask in the middle could either be extremely good, or preposterously bad.

Christopher Robin was a light-hearted family film, showing that McGregor can fit in perfectly with Disney’s family friendly agenda. Taking a role as Black Mask directly after that may ruin his PG reputation. Perhaps the Ewan McGregor that has to play a ruthless, unhinged psychopath is not the same one who is the perfect Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Disney may decide to recast the role because of it.

However, if the Obi-Wan movie were to be geared towards a more adult audience, then his portrayal of a Batman villain would in no way inhibit that. In fact, it could actually prove to the studio that he is as versatile as ever, and will not fall into the safe-for-work archetype. You cannot have a Jedi Master that you do not take seriously, and playing characters like Black Mask in between movies could be what changes that for some fans.

Will he lose the role?

Photo Credit: [Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith] LucasfilmEwan McGregor consistently taking roles is a good look for his career, but it may not be good for his Star Wars career. What happens if he gets a call from Disney while he is committed to Birds of Prey, or even some other film?

Chances are the executives are not going to want to wait for the perfect time, they are going to want to go by their own schedule. It’s a shame to think of a world where Ewan McGregor is not the one who is playing Obi-Wan, but he may get replaced if he keeps a full schedule through the next few years.

Will it cancel the movie?

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

If Ewan McGregor is not able to reprise the role, and Disney is given the greenlight to make an Obi-Wan movie a reality, will that ruin their plans. Recasting characters makes fans hostile to say the least, and with so many fans already boycotting the Star Wars universe, casting a new Obi-Wan would be sure to set everyone off. While this is an unlikely scenario, I feel as if it is entirely possible, and I would hate to see McGregor’s success stop him from reprising his Star Wars role.

Do you like Ewan McGregor as Black Mask? Let me know in the comments!