After four years in development, the long-awaited ‘Star Wars’ solo project featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi will begin filming summer 2020, in London, England. The miniseries will officially comprise of six episodes, an hour for each one.
This information was revealed in a Men’s Journal cover story with actor Ewan McGregor, who reprises his role as the titular character:
“McGregor won’t shoot the ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ series until next summer. … He then reiterates the obvious: “I’m not allowed to tell you anything about it.” Though he did let it slip that the series will be six hour-long episodes.”
McGregor portrayed Kenobi in all three films in the ‘Star Wars’ prequel trilogy. Those films comprised of ‘The Phantom Menace,’ ‘Attack of the Clones,’ and ‘Revenge of the Sith.’
Moreover, director Deborah Chow (‘Mr. Robot,’ ‘Better Call Saul’) will helm the series, with Hossein Amini (‘Drive,’ ‘The Alienist’) writing. Chow’s first venture in the ‘Star Wars’ universe is coming soon, as her episodes of ‘The Mandalorian’ premiere November 22nd and December 18th.
Additionally, the upcoming series will take place eight years after the events of ‘Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.’
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This is further explained by McGregor in the cover story:
“”The storyline sits between ‘Episode III’ and ‘Episode IV,'” he says, dropping us a breadcrumb. The last time we saw him in the role, “the Jedi Order was falling apart. It will be interesting to take a character we know in a way and show him—Well, his arc will be quite interesting, I think, dealing with that the fact that all the Jedi were slaughtered with the end of ‘Episode III.’ It’s quite something to get over.”
Of returning to the character after 15 years, he insists time is only an asset. “I want to get closer and closer to how Obi-Wan felt while Alec Guinness was playing him. I feel like I’m grayer and nearer him in age, so it’ll be easier to do that.””
Back in 2005, we last saw the character back on the desert planet Tatooine. Now, we jump ahead, but it will still be twelve years before the events of ‘Episode IV: A New Hope.’
So, the show will be around nine years before Kenobi’s final encounter with Maul in ‘Star Wars: Rebels.’ (This is only here to convey how unlikely it is that Maul will appear in this series.)
There is no premiere date yet, but summer 2021 looks all but confirmed. It is up in the air if it will be before or after the Cassian Andor series.
Source: Men’s Journal