‘Star Wars’: Ewan McGregor Says He Would Be Happy To Play Obi-Wan Kenobi Again

Star Wars alum Ewan McGregor would be “happy” to reprise his role as a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Though Disney-owned Lucasfilm is confirmed to be developing a standalone Obi-Wan movie, McGregor told LA Times writer Yvonne Villarreal talk surrounding his return to the role is “just that, there’s a lot of talk.”

“I’d be happy to play him again,” McGregor said. “I don’t know any more about it more than you do. I saw the new one over Christmas. I thought it was really, really beautiful. I loved it.”

McGregor portrayed Obi-Wan in George Lucas’ Star Wars prequel trilogy and lent his disembodied voice to 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, where the long-dead Jedi Master briefly spoke to budding Jedi Rey (Daisy Ridley) in a Force vision.

The Obi-Wan movie, rumored for an early 2019 production start, is expected to film under working title “Joshua Tree.” Billy Elliot and The Hours director Stephen Daldry is in talks to direct.

McGregor, citing Disney’s one-a-year Star Wars slate, said in April he doesn’t expect the Obi-Wan movie to release soon, but he would be “happy” to return if asked.

“I think they’ve got films to make until the 2020s, so I don’t think it’s going to happen soon if it happens at all,” McGregor said.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi writer-director Rian Johnson recently admitted he “would have loved” to include McGregor’s Obi-Wan in the movie, but explained his omission came down to “a matter of storytelling.”

Lucasfilm will next release Solo: A Star Wars Story, centered around a younger Han Solo, in May. Star Wars: Episode IX releases in December 2019, followed by Johnson’s spinoff trilogy that will focus on new characters and locations outside of the Skywalker saga.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is now playing.