‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’: Disney+ 'Star Wars Series' Adds Maya Erskine
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series for Disney+ is on track as far as production is concerned. Set ten years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, it will see the return of Ewan McGregor as the titular character, as well as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader actor Hayden Christensen. Kathleen Kennedy has said that the two will have a rematch of sorts, though we do not know story details beyond that. Given that Kenobi is in exile at this point, it is natural that the actors Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse, who portrayed young Owen and Beru in the prequel trilogy, would be returning. Lucasfilm recently announced a large cast list, but now there is some reporting of a name that did not appear on that list.
According to an exclusive from Deadline, the TV series cast will include Maya Erskine, who is known for her work in Insecure, Pen15, and Scoob! For her role in the Hulu series Pen15, Erskine has been nominated for multiple WGA Awards and a 2019 Emmy. At the time that this is being written, it is unknown what role she would be playing. On the surface, it just seems like the TV series is pulling in a lot of talent, and that in itself can generate excitement even with the lack of details. Other cast members who have already been announced to be part of the series include Moses Ingram, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell, and Benny Safdie.
Directed by Deborah Chow, the miniseries will consist of six episodes, each one hour long. From the sound of it, this will be a format different from what people have become used to with The Mandalorian, a series in which each season so far has consisted of eight episodes that can range somewhere between less than half an hour to around 50 minutes. Granted, other live-action shows like The Book of Boba Fett and Andor are due for the near future, and it is possible that the length of each episode for one or both shows could be similar, though with different numbers of episodes.
There is so much mystery surrounding the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Due sometime in 2022, it has the potential to tell a more introspective story for Kenobi, even if it does take him to different locations, perhaps even offworld. Many of the actors can be just about anyone with different degrees of connections to the main character. We could see more familiar characters, or perhaps more new characters who can make their mark on the franchise. There are loads of possibilities. It may be a long while before we get more plot details and a teaser trailer, but it is good to know that the project has a lot of movement at the moment and will reach completion, compared to years ago when the idea of this type of onscreen story was nothing more than wishes from the fans.
Source(s): Deadline