Liam Neeson Says He Has Not Gotten A Call About Kenobi Series
Lucasfilm has a ton of Star Wars related projects in the works for both Disney+ streaming service and movie theaters in the near future. In the pipeline we have Rogue One spin-off series Andor, The Mandalorian spin-off series Ahsoka and The Book of Boba Fett, and the feature film Rogue Squadron. The most anticipated project of the group is the Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series starring Ewan McGregor himself. Work on the series has begun and been going on for at least a few months.
In addition to McGregor's return, Hayden Christensen will reprise his role as Darth Vader, along with Joel Edgerton as Owen Lars, and Bonnie Piesse as Beru Whitesun Lars. Other cast members joining them in undisclosed roles include Moses Ingram, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell, Benny Safdie, and Maya Erskine. There had been hints of one particular character meeting up with Obi-Wan again in Revenge of the Sith. Since Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, played by Liam Neeson, did not make an appearance in said movie, fans are hoping for some kind of return in the Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series is the. Unfortunately we have some very bad news coming from the actor.
Recently on an interview with Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, after rumors that the Taken alum will join the highly-anticipated series and make a possible return to the Star Wars universe, the actor finally spoke up. Neeson denied his involvement in the upcoming series.
“Yes, I heard Ewan McGregor was going to do a series. Um, no. I don’t think so. No, I haven’t been approached.”
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace saw Neeson’s Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi finding young Anakin Skywalker (played by Jake Lloyd) on the desert planet Tatooine. With his last breaths after the fatal duel with Darth Maul (played by Ray Park) on Naboo, Jinn asked Kenobi to train Skywalker, kicking off a chain of events in the prequel era that change the fate of the entire galaxy.
Kimmel commented that Neeson is a great actor and that he might be lying about the whole situation. Neeson just laughed and gave a small shrug. Liam also joked that Disney couldn’t afford him, adding, “They don’t have enough money.”
It is always difficult to know what to believe with actors connected to tent pole franchises when they are reported in the trade or social media buzz. Usually they remain vague or straight up lie about their involvement due to NDA’s until the film studio make the official announcement. After all, even Ewan McGregor denied the existence of a Kenobi project for many years after Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, and later confirming the show when it was finally announced by Lucasfilm.
Although in early 2021 Neeson mentioned that he would consider making a return to the Star Wars franchise, there was one complication story-wise. Qui-Gon Jinn was killed by Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. Should Neeson make an appearance in the series, it would have to be in the form of a Force ghost, or a voice-over role. Perhaps he could make an appearance in a flashback sequence.
For years, fans have been talking about Qui-Gon Jinn's appearance in the time after the prequel trilogy. He was one of the first Jedi to achieve the Force ghost ability, allowing him to live on through the Force. He could have passed on the knowledge when he appeared to Yoda during The Clone Wars. It would make sense that Obi-Wan would learn this power from his former master seeing that he became a Force ghost after his demise in A New Hope.
It would be fun to see Qui-Gon Jinn show up during a knockdown, gritty lightsaber fight between Vader and Kenobi. This would be an interesting reunion between the Jedi master and the boy he rescued from Tatooine. That is just wishful thinking though.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is coming to Disney+ in 2022.
Source: The Direct