The underwhelming critical reception to the prequel trilogy was hard on Ewan McGregor.
Upon their release, the prequel trilogy was seen as a major step down from the original, which changed the sci-fi landscape in the ’70s. But following the rise of social media, the Ewan McGregor-led Star Wars flicks saw an upsurge in popularity, with fans showcasing their fondness for McGregor’s portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
This would eventually push him to reprise the character in the 2022 Disney Plus show. But initially, after Revenge of the Sith, McGregor did not intend to return to the role following his experience with the critics.
The Critical Panning of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Was Hard on Ewan McGregor
While the Star Wars movies were a big thing for Ewan McGregor, who was enthralled to be a part of the iconic franchise, witnessing them getting critically panned took a big toll on him. Keeping in mind that it was the early 2000s and social media didn’t exist back then, there was no direct way to communicate with the fans.
As a result, after Episode 3, McGregor was done with Obi-Wan for good and didn’t give much thought to it, until fans started campaigning for his return in the 2010s.
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith | 20th Century Studios
He said (via Vanity Fair):
“It was years later that everyone starts [praising them]… There’s Instagram, there’s Twitter, there’s whatever, and every day I’m seeing people going, ‘When are you doing another Obi-Wan?’ And I realized, oh my God, there’s this real desire. I was surprised… The end of every interview was like, will you be playing Obi-Wan?’ There was no plan. No one had ever talked to me about it. Ultimately it got so embarrassing. I was constantly saying, ‘Yeah, I’d be up for it.’”
With social media hitting big, leading to fans directly expressing their desire to see the actor back as the Jedi, this eventually opened the gates for his Disney Plus series, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Ewan McGregor Is up for Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 2
With several Star Wars projects in the works, it’s unclear if Disney has any plans to move forward with season two of Obi-Wan Kenobi. While the Disney Plus series was far from the best the IP has to offer, it had its charms, with its biggest attraction being Obi-Wan himself.
When McGregor was asked about his stance on season 2, the actor expressed that he is just a phone call away from reprising the part, but has no idea if it’s happening.
Obi-Wan Kenobi | Disney
“For me, I have no news to tell, I’m waiting for the call. I don’t know if its happening.”McGregor further revealed the initial discussions about his return involved movies, as Disney Plus didn’t exist back then, and he suggested the idea of focusing on a broken Obi-Wan after Episode III.
