Hayden Christensen Answers Question About Darth Vader Series
Making his Star Wars universe return after 17 years, Hayden Christensen is reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in the new Disney+ show Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is there the possibility of a Darth Vader spin-off series on the horizon?
After 17 years of avoiding the limelight of Star Wars after his appearance in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, Hayden Christensen is making his return in the latest Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Set 10 years after the climax of Revenge of the Sith, the series will see Kenobi facing off against his old apprentice Anakin Skywalker. With the series having just debuted, many are waiting to see how big of a role Hayden Christensen will play, including whether he will exclusively play Vader, or if we shall see him as Anakin in flashbacks.
RELATED:
What is certain though, is that Hayden Christensen's return to the Star Wars universe has been universally praised by fans, before even seeing him in the latest iteration of the series. For an actor, who unfortunately in previous years, has seen a rather toxic reception from sections of the Star Wars fandom for his role as Anakin in the prequel-era films, this is a delightful change.
The prequel-era films and media appear to be experiencing something of a renaissance in the current era of Star Wars, creating numerous memes and quotable lines. They've re-entered the public consciousness through being easily accessible on Disney+, whilst also becoming more important to the current mainline Star Wars story, with characters like Grogu and Ahsoka, integral to shows like The Mandalorian and the upcoming Ahsoka, finding their backgrounds forged during the prequel-era.
This has of course been given even more focus due to the return of Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, the most popular prequel character, in his new limited series of the same name. In a recent interview with LADBible TV both McGregor and Christensen commented on this resurgence in popularity of the prequel series, claiming that it is probably down to the films' target audience influence on social media and popular culture.
This excitement in general has led to the increased production of new Disney+ shows focusing on fan favorites like Kenobi and Boba Fett, which have in turn raised the question of the possibility for the most recognizable character in all of Star Wars media, and perhaps in cinema history, Darth Vader, to receive the same treatment.
During one of the many interviews that Christensen has been doing during the Obi-Wan Kenobi press tour, he was asked the question as to whether he would be interested in reprising his role of Vader in a solo outing. As reported by DigitalSpy, when asked if a Vader solo movie or television would be something that interested him, Christensen had a short and simple response:
"If the opportunity presents itself, I would be all for it. I think this is a character that is very complex, and there’s a lot there to further explore. If the powers that be were so inclined, I would be so excited to get to do so."
It certainly sounds like Christensen would be interested in returning if the executives at Disney decide to pursue a Vader-centric series. With much of Vader's activities during the reign of the Empire confined to books, comics, and other media, this would be a rich era of storytelling. The possibilities of seeing the brutal ruthlessness of Vader on screen would be tantalizing to even the most casual of fans, particularly after the infamous hallway scene of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Depending on when the series was set, we could see a huge variety of things. We could see a Vader in the midst of hunting the remaining surviving Jedi, his training of the Inquisitors, his hunt for Sith relics and even his struggle to come to terms with the death of his wife, Padmé, his betrayal of the Jedi Order, and the trials laid out before him by his new master; the Emperor.
Alternatively, we could see Vader hunting down his son Luke in the years between A New Hope and Return of the Jedi, with small signs of his impending redemption, attempting to wrestle with the demands of his master and his newfound feelings for his son Luke.
Whatever the future of Darth Vader in Star Wars may be, this clear enthusiasm presented by Christensen has opened the door to a possible cash cow for Disney, and a Star Wars fan's dream show. As Obi-Wan Kenobi continues to unfold, we can only hope to see more of the Dark Lord, in his return to battle against his old Master, Kenobi.
READ NEXT:
Source(s): ScreenRant, DigitalSpy, YouTube