Obi-Wan Kenobi, also known as Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, is an American space opera television miniseries produced by Lucasfilm for the streaming service Disney+. It is part of the Star Wars franchise. Set ten years after the Jedi Order was purged during the events of the film Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), the series follows surviving Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi who emerges from hiding to rescue the kidnapped Princess Leia from the Galactic Empire's Inquisitors. This brings Kenobi into conflict with his former apprentice Anakin Skywalker, now a Sith known as Darth Vader. Ewan McGregor stars as the title character, reprising his role from the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Co-stars such as Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Jimmy Smits, Hayden Christensen (Vader), and Ian McDiarmid also reprise their prequel trilogy roles, while Vivien Lyra Blair debuts as a young Leia Organa. The project originated as a spin-off film written by Hossein Amini and directed by Stephen Daldry, but it was reworked as a limited series following the commercial failure of the film Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). McGregor was confirmed to be starring in the series in August 2019, and Deborah Chow was hired to direct all of the episodes a month later. Production was scheduled to begin in July 2020, but the series was put on hold in January 2020 because Lucasfilm was unsatisfied with the scripts. Joby Harold was hired to rewrite the series and serve as showrunner in April 2020, executive producing with Chow, McGregor, Kathleen Kennedy, and Michelle Rejwan. Additional casting took place in March 2021. Filming began by that May in Los Angeles, using StageCraft video wall technology, and wrapped by that September. Natalie Holt composed the original score, while Star Wars film composer John Williams wrote a new main theme for Kenobi that William Ross adapted for several scenes. Obi-Wan Kenobi premiered on May 27, 2022, with its first two episodes. The other four episodes were released weekly through June 22. The series received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise directed towards McGregor's performance, the action sequences, John Williams's new main theme, the character-driven narrative, and the series' emotional weight, although the writing received some criticism. It also received multiple accolades, including winning Best Limited Event Series for Streaming and Best Guest Starring Role on Television (for Christensen) at the 47th Saturn Awards, as well as a nomination for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Premise The series is set after the events of the film Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), during which the Jedi Order was all but destroyed and Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi's apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, became the Sith Lord Darth Vader. After remaining in hiding for the next ten years on the planet Tatooine, watching over Anakin's son Luke, Kenobi is called on a mission to rescue Anakin's daughter Leia when she is kidnapped by the Galactic Empire's Jedi-hunting Inquisitors in a plot to draw Kenobi out. This brings Kenobi into conflict with Vader, who he believed to be dead, forcing Kenobi to face his traumatic past and guilty feelings.
Episodes
Cast and characters
Starring Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi:A Jedi Master who survived Order 66 and now lives in exile, under the name "Ben", on the planet Tatooine, watching over young Luke Skywalker. McGregor was excited to play a version of the character closer to Alec Guinness's portrayal from the original Star Wars trilogy than his own younger version from the prequel trilogy, with Kenobi beginning the series "broken, and faithless, and beaten, [having] somewhat given up". Executive producer Michelle Rejwan described Kenobi as being in a "pretty traumatic moment" following his losses in Revenge of the Sith (2005), including his apprentice Anakin's fall to the dark side of the Force. Kenobi left Anakin for dead on Mustafar at the end of the film and feels guilty for doing so, with director Deborah Chow being intrigued by the idea that Kenobi might still care deeply for Anakin. Head writer Joby Harold said the series would relate the "very emotional" version of Kenobi in the prequels to Alec Guinness's "zen master" in A New Hope (1977). McGregor was part of the conversations about Kenobi's characterization in the series, and rewatched the Skywalker Saga films to prepare. He also read science fiction novels, including those written by Iain M. Banks, for the role.
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