Cameron Monaghan explains what is needed for Cal Kestis to jump to live-action

Cameron Monaghan, who portrays Cal Kestis in the beloved Jedi video game series, was recently at FanExpo Vancouver and was asked about playing his character in a TV show. In response, he expressed interest in playing Kestis in a live-action version, but only if the story makes sense. He is best known for his roles in the Showtime show Shameless and as the Joker in the DC show Gotham.

When asked if he would play Kestis the actor responded:

"It would have to be right. By that, I mean it has to continue the story or the character in some way. I don't want him to just kind of show up to stand around and be there. I want him to mean something and for there to be a significance for the character itself. So, it would have to make sense. But in the right context then, yeah, absolutely."

- Cameron Monaghan

This is great to hear from the actor of the beloved game franchise. Lately, video game movies have not been well received, as well as content from Marvel and even Star Wars to an extent.

Monaghan seems to love Cal Kestis and wants to do right by the character. Kestis' fight started in Jedi: Fallen Order as Ketis is on the run from an Inquisitor after revealing himself to be Force-sensitive to save his friend. Cal must travel through multiple planets to investigate the Jedi Order and how to carry it on.

The sequel, Jedi: Survivor, sees Cal taking on the pressure of being one of the last remaining Jedi in the universe and how he navigates betrayal, losing friends, and even his droid. Cal must learn new skills and moves to fight the Empire and bring the fight to Darth Vader and the Emperor.

When can we expect to see Cal Kestis in live action?

Nothing is confirmed yet, but there have been signs in other TV shows that open up the possibility. As IGN points out, in Episode 5 of The Book of Boba Fett, we saw a BD droid, which is the same model of droid Cal uses. In Ahsoka, we saw the use of psychometry, which allows a Jedi to see visions of the past and communicate with those they see. This is a gift Cal has and hasn't been shown on the TV screen in live-action until after it was revealed in the video game series.

If they were going to reveal they had a TV show for Cal Kestis, then Obi-Wan Kenobi felt like it was the best place to reveal it. The game took place in the same time period as the show, and it would've made the most sense. However, we didn't get anything regarding Kestis' adventures.

Currently, the Disney team is working on season 2 of Andor and some more Ahsoka content. However, in 2023 Monaghan revealed the existence of a third game at Ocala Comic Con in Florida, stating:

"We're working on the third [game] and we're in the process of doing it right now... So, that's a big undertaking and there's been some conversations so far. But hopefully, when all things are said and done, we'll be able to go in and make something really cool for you guys again."

- Cameron Monaghan

Fans should temper expectations on when they expect to see the new game since Jedi: Survivor was marred with technical issues and even had a 45 GB patch at launch to help solve them. The developer Respawn also has access to Unreal Engine 5, a video game development engine that brings reality to life.

It was hard to find a review on Metacritic without mentioning the game's technical issues, but the game had overall favorable reviews despite the launch issues. This being said, the game was still a great experience and is worth playing now that the game has been polished more.

As it stands right now, Cal Kestis will be seen only in the video game universe, but one could hope they bring the beloved character to the TV screen.