Disney’s new announcement about a Blu-ray version of Obi-Wan Kenobi upsets Star Wars fans for one reason
Ewan McGregor returned as the Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, in his titular series, almost 17 years after his last appearance in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. The series did a decent job of entertaining the Star Wars fandom, despite the criticisms for its shoddy writing at places. However, Disney has quietly confirmed that McGregor’s show is not getting another season.
Obi-Wan Kenobi took place ten years after the events of Revenge of the Sith and the titular character is in hiding on the planet Tatooine, looking after Luke. He is tasked with the mission of rescuing Princess Leia from the Galactic Empire, which leads to a confrontation with his former apprentice.
Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi Is Not Getting A Season 2
Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi faces off against Hayden Christensen’s Darth Vader
Fans and Ewan McGregor long hoped for a second season of Obi-Wan Kenobi after the show hit Disney+ in 2022. Ahead of the show’s premiere in May 2022, McGregor told Collider that the series was intended as a limited one. However, the actor added that he would love to return to the role since the experience of filming with a crew full of Star Wars fans was exciting. McGregor shared with Collider:
“I feel like the experience of doing it with the crew who were so passionate about it. So many Star Wars fans in the crew of Star Wars projects nowadays that it makes the experience really exciting. So, I’d be totally up for doing more. But I can guarantee, at the moment, it’s just a standalone thing.”
However, Disney appears to not share the excitement of their show’s lead actor as they have confirmed the status of the series as a ‘complete’ one. The 4K and Blu-ray release of the Deborah Chow series was announced recently, alongside a number of other Disney+ projects like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Moon Knight, and Andor.
In Disney’s Blu-ray version, all the other projects will be mentioned as “the complete first season”, whereas Obi-Wan Kenobi will be released as “the complete series” (via Variety). The wording indicates that Disney and Lucasfilm are pretty clear with their decision on the series. However, McGregor may make future appearances in other Star Wars projects involving his character.
According to Disney’s announcement, the Blu-ray version of Ewan McGregor’s series will include featurettes titled Duels of Fate: Obi-Wan vs Vader, The Dark Times: Villains, and Designing The Galaxy. It will also include a Director’s Commentary by Deborah Chow.
Why Is Disney Hesitant In Giving Obi-Wan Kenobi A Second Season?
Ewan McGregor in & as Obi-Wan Kenobi
The story of Obi-Wan Kenobi was initially planned as a movie. Unlike the Hans Solo movie, Ewan McGregor was supposed to headline a new Star Wars trilogy. However, the success of The Mandalorian on Disney+ prompted the company to make it into a six-episode series. While Ewan McGregor and his fans wanted more, the series completed the story that the writers intended to tell in the first season.
Moreover, the first season included all the elements the fans wanted to see, including Obi-Wan’s encounter with his former apprentice Anakin Skywalker. Hayden Christensen returned to his role after years, this time fully embracing the role of Darth Vader. Fans also got to see Obi-Wan’s interaction with a very young Luke and Leia in the series. Not only did the series leave little to tell story-wise, but it also lacked enough intriguing elements to add to a possible second season.
Obi-Wan Kenobi and all other Star Wars projects are now available for streaming on Disney+.
