Ewan McGregor always wanted Kenobi’s story to be about ‘a broken man’

So far, the promotional material leading up to the premiere of Obi-Wan Kenobi has hinted at truly intense moments. Owen Lars with his sick (verbal) burns. Darth Vader somehow still holding himself together after all his physical ones. Lots of yelling from Reva (what’s the history there?) and Obi-Wan telling someone to stay hidden (who?). But the show will likely be as emotionally stimulating as it will be visually impressive — at least, that’s how Ewan McGregor has always wanted it to be.

This week’s Vanity Fair article explored the future of Star Wars through the lens of the small screen. In it, McGregor said he’s always had a vision for what Kenobi’s story between the prequels and sequels could look like. His character’s mental and emotional state following the fall of the Republic has always been an important factor.

“I just said, ‘I think that it should be a story about a broken man, a man who’s lost his faith,’ ” he said. “He always has a funny line to say or always seems to be calm and is a good warrior or soldier or whatever, but to see that man come apart, and see what gets him back together again—that’s where we started.”

The story of Obi-Wan Kenobi post-Revenge of the Sith was originally supposed to be a movie. Obviously, plans changed a bit. But a limited series that gives more time to the story the creators want to tell — but not so much time that it feels too stretched — makes it the perfect fit for Disney+ over the big screen.

As hungry as Star Wars fans may be for another theatrical release, there’s no doubt Obi-Wan Kenobi will feel like a big-screen experience both in story and cinematically. Many fans have been waiting for the continuation of Kenobi’s story since the end of the prequels, especially those who have read John Jackson Miller’s Legends novel.

The story isn’t likely to follow the book closely, but it does still show some of the gaps the Disney+ series can and will fill in when it arrives at the end of May. We don’t know exactly where this story is going to take us. But it’s going to be a journey — and we’re all ready to hop on board.

Obi-Wan Kenobi stars Ewan McGregor with appearances by Hayden Christensen and Kumail Nanjiani and is directed by Deborah Chow, who previously directed an episode of The Mandalorian. The series is set to premiere May 27, 2022 exclusively on Disney+.

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