Ewan McGregor Is Totally Preparing to Play Obi-Wan Again So I’m Going to Wildly Speculate About It.

In a previous post where I projected the reception of future Star Wars films and included a potential Obi-Wan film because I felt confident that the movie will be made. After Ewan McGregor’s appearance at the Golden Globes I’m almost sure this is happening, McGregor showed up sporting a look very similar to his Obi-Wan look (after a training video of him that fueled rumors had already made the rounds) and even expressed interest in playing the role again during a red carpet interview. The old saying goes, don’t count your chickens until they hatch but this film has too much potential and the timing is too right; so I’m going to continue to get hyped for the Obi-Wan film and take a look at one it might look like.

The Characters: This is a tough situation based on the assumption the film will take place sometime between Revenge of the Sith (19 YBBY) and A New Hope/Rogue One (0 YBBY). There will be a lot of well-known characters from the Star Wars universe active in the war between the Empire and Rebellion but due to Obi-Wan’s status as a mysterious old hermit from the Jedi days of the past, he won’t be able to interact too heavily with them without ruining the continuity of A New Hope. So let’s take a look at the characters we might see.

Old Ben Kenobi- The earliest this filmwould realistically come out is probably 2020, putting the real-life time between the film and Obi-Wan’s last appearance in Revenge of the Sith at 15 years. I believe the film would probably also stick to that timeline putting Obi-Wan about a decade and a half removed from the Jedi Purge and just under 5 years away from the beginning of New Hope. From comic books specifically 2016’s “Star Wars 15: From the Journals of Old Ben Kenobi”, we know that Old Ben has already prepared training for Luke, been barred from meeting with Luke by Uncle Owen, had run-ins with Jabba the Hut, and settled into being a hermit. I think when we meet Old Ben in this film he’ll struggling with the decision to stay in hiding.

Jubba the Hutt- With Jubba the Hutt being on Tatooine with Obi-Wan coupled with the fact that media outside of the saga films have explored run-ins between Kenobi and Jubba, it makes him the perfect secondary antagonist for the film. I would guess Jabba is the driving force to get Obi-Wan going in this film either forcing him on the run or forcing him on a mission for Jubba to save himself or Luke.

Boba Fett- The only reason not to include Boba Fett as an antagonist in this film is if they are preparing a solo Boba Fett film, but that ship has seemed to sail. As one of Jubba the Hutt’s go-to mercenaries it puts Boba Fett in a perfect path to face off with Obi-Wan. I think Disney will try to right some of the wrongs of Fett’s all too easy death in Return of the Jedi by making him a total badass. If this film is as good as I think it will be they will also explore how it was Obi-Wan who tracked down Jango Fett forcing him and young Boba out of hiding on Kamino setting up his life as a bounty hunter.

Yoda/Qui-Gon Jinn (Voice only)- I believe we’ll get Yoda and Qui-Gon mentoring Obi-Wan at points in this film but he won’t be visiting Yoda on Dagobah, Yoda won’t be force projecting, and I don’t think they’ll get Liam Neeson to play a Qui-Gon force ghost. So, we’ll settle for voice cameos for the two Jedi masters.

Who could be referenced but probably shouldn’t/won’t be on screen- The obvious two characters who could be in this film but shouldn’t be are Luke and Darth Vader, there’s nothing a young Luke Skywalker can add to the story, at least as a character. If they wanted to have Obi-Wan watch over a non-descript teenager from a distance, then that would work. With Darth Vader, his descriptions of last time he sensed/saw Obi-Wan is actually vague enough that they could meet in this film but they shouldn’t, Their duel on Mustafar should be their last meeting before their final duel. Then there are the members of the rebellion, namely Bail Organa, Leia Organa, and Mon Mothma, simply put Obi-Wan can’t be shown as too close to the Rebellion or all their leaders would have known to seek him out not just Bail and by extension Leia. Finally, there’s C3P0 and R2D2, maybe we see them but I don’t think there will be too much interaction. There’s already a lot of people that complain that R2D2 and Obi-Wan should recognize each other in a New Hope, I’m in the party that believes they do and are just protecting the truth of the past by not acknowledging it. With that said you could probably squeeze in one more meeting between R2 and Kenobi but there’s no explaining how C3PO wouldn’t recognize him.

Settings:

Tatooine- The film is almost guaranteed to start and end on Tatooine. I’m guessing we’ll also start and end in Old Ben’s little hut. We’ll also see the Mos Eisley Cantina, Jubba’s palace, and an escape from Tatooine.

An Imperial Star Destroyer- I don’t think Obi-Wan’s mission will bring him head to head with the Empire but he will be interacting in some way with the Empire. Probably sneaking aboard to steal something or to hide from a bounty hunter.

A New Planet- let's face it, we’re not getting a new Star Wars film without a new planet. Whoever gets put in charge of this project will want to do some universe building of their own so it’s a safe bet Obi-Wan’s adventure brings to a planet not yet explored in the films. I personally would like to see Obi-Wan visit his home planet one last time, the name of which is “officially” Stewjon but that name comes from George Lucas coming up with the name on the spot when being interviewed by Jon Stewart. It remains to be seen if Disney would make that information canon.

Plot:

I think this will be a different Star Wars film in one big way, in most Star Wars films we get groups of unlikely allies coming together in A New Hope we get Luke, Han, Chewie, Leia, and the droids; in The Phantom Menace there’s Qui-Gon, Padme, Anakin, R2-D2 and Jar-Jar Binks; in The Force Awakens Rey teams up with Finn, BB-8, Han, and Chewie. Attack of The Clones, Empire Strikes Back, Return of The Jedi, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi also have plotlines that involve 3-6 person groups coming together for a mission, the only film you could argue it doesn’t happen is Revenge of the Sith. While most Star Wars films involve the protagonists teaming up it’s Obi-Wan Kenobi is the character who is often on his own for a mission; whether it be deactivating the tractor beam on the Death Star, tracking Jango Fett, or finding and defeating General Grievous. I think this film will follow that pattern and Obi-Wan will be on his own for much of this story. Here’s a quick synopsis of what the outline of this plot might look like.

The film will open with Obi-Wan Kenobi who is now Old Ben Kenobi, he’s tried to protect the people of Tatooine from Jubba the Hut, he’s tried to both train and protect Luke Skywalker, and it’s all called too much attention to himself and has taken its toll on him. He’s now almost resigned to his fate as Old Ben waiting for the right time to train Luke but in a moment of weakness he pulls out his lightsaber. Obi-Wan ends up in Jubba the Hutt’s crosshairs one more time leading him to either be on the run from Jabba or being forced to complete a mission for Jubba in return for his safety (or Jubba finds out Kenobi’s protection of Luke and threatens him).

Kenobi’s mission brings him around the Empire ruled galaxy which he has not seen first hand until now. Obi-Wan also has to face off with Boba Fett as the main antagonist as he jumps from planet to planet on different legs of this journey trying to fend of Boba Fett and other threats without being identified as a Jedi. After seeing different systems of the galaxy being ravaged by Empire control Kenobi struggles with the idea of letting this happen while Yoda, potential Jedi master Luke, and himself standby.

Kenobi's mission finally brings him to a planet (like I said I wouldn’t mind this being his home planet) under siege by the Empire. Kenobi and Fett end up on a Star Destroyer and Kenobi sees a chance to take a shot at the Empire but after almost failing, Master Yoda reaches out and convinces him to stay the course. Kenobi escapes the Empire, Boba Fett, Jubba the Hutt and retires to his hideout as Old Ben Kenobi. Old Ben puts his lightsaber away, looks at Anakin’s lightsaber, and goes to watch over the Lars homestead as the twin suns set.