Obi-Wan Kenobi is hands down the most anticipated TV series of the new year, and actor Ewan McGregor gives us another reason to be excited about the Star Wars series. The Obi-Wan actor describes his reunion with Anakin Skywalker himself, Hayden Christensen, as "spine-tingling."
Star Wars fans have known about Christensen's return to the franchise for some time now. However, Obi-Wan Kenobi posters and previews have thus far shown nothing of Darth Vader's long-awaited return.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, McGregor described seeing Christensen again. "It was sort of spine-tingling... It was just amazing to see Hayden full-stop. I’m so close to him – we’ve stayed in touch over the years, but we haven’t seen each other for a long time,” he said. It's nice to know that McGregor and Christensen have maintained the brotherly bond of their characters in Episode II, but also never had a tragic fall from grace like in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.
McGregor also described how unusual and exciting it is to return to Star Wars after all these years. "To be on set with him again was odd. It was like time hadn’t happened... I look over at him and he’s Anakin now, and I’m Obi-Wan now, and it’s like nothing had happened," he said. "I didn’t see any age on his face. I just felt like the period of time between Episode III and now didn’t exist. It was so peculiar."
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series is an interesting experiment, as it aims to fill the gaps in between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, and chronicle Obi-Wan's exile on Tatooine. George Lucas and company never told this chapter of the saga, and if Disney can come up with something clever, it could be a very worthwhile addition. And the choice to bring back Darth Vader in a major role is a bold one, but fitting due to how the Prequel Trilogy was all about the relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin. If done right, Obi-Wan Kenobi will be a perfect bridge in between the first two trilogies.
Star Wars fans from all over the world have praised the returns of McGregor and Christensen. Largely because appreciation of the Star Wars prequels has grown with age, and many fans look forward to a throwback to that era. But even those who don't like the prequels are fond of this decision, as legacy casting is highly preferred these days. If older Star Wars elements are present, that'll just make the new project even more authentic.
How will Obi-Wan Kenobi continue the legacy of the Star Wars prequels? What new dilemmas do Obi-Wan and Anakin have to face next? Fans await these answers with much anticipation. The Force is strong with this series.
Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres on May 25th, 2022, exclusively on Disney Plus.
Source: Entertainment Weekly