Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi Footage Description from Disney Investor Day 2020

Disney and Lucasfilm revealed the first official look at Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi during Disney Investor Day 2020, where the spin-off announced the return of Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. Directed by Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian) and scripted by Joby Harold (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Obi-Wan Kenobi follows the Jedi Master into exile on the desert planet of Tatooine as the watchful guardian of Luke Skywalker. The limited series is one of ten Star Wars spin-offs planned to expand the far-away galaxy over the next several years, joining a roster that includes Andor, the Diego Luna-starring Rogue One prequel, and the just-announced The Acolyte.

Lucasfilm president and producer Kathleen Kennedy confirmed the limited series takes place a decade after the events of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, where Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and the fallen Anakin Skywalker (Christensen) have a heated battle on the planet of Mustafar. In Obi-Wan Kenobi, the friends-turned-enemies will have the "rematch of the century" ahead of their final battle in Star Wars: A New Hope.

"There's a hunger for this character to come back," McGregor said in footage screened exclusively for investors during Thursday's presentation. "The fans have been waiting long enough, you know?"

Added Chow, "This is quite a dark time that we're coming into with him, just being a Jedi — it's not safe. There's Jedi hunters out there."

Concept art shows a Jedi, lightsaber blade ignited, defending a trio of Younglings as the newly-anointed Darth Vader marches on the Jedi Temple with a legion of Clone Troopers. "He has this one task left," McGregor said of his exiled Jedi, "which is to keep Luke safe."

More concept art shows a stingray-like creature floating above slave workers toiling away in the barren, sandy landscape of Tatooine. "We start on Tatooine, and we go on a rollicking adventure," McGregor teased over a glimpse at a watery planet, where armed soldiers fire upon a many-armed sea creature.

"We couldn't tell the story of Obi-Wan Kenobi without addressing Anakin or Vader," Chow added over an image of the armored Vader seated on a throne as he communicates with a hologram — possibly his master, the reigning Emperor of the Galactic Empire.

"The most beautiful thing of all is that it's brought me back together with Hayden," a giddy McGregor said. "It'll be amazing to bring those characters back together again, very unexpectedly."

Chow confirmed that audiences will "definitely see Obi-Wan and Darth Vader get into it again" as we see the blue blade of a hooded Obi-Wan clash with the fiery red blade of Darth Vader, evoking imagery of their previous encounter in Revenge of the Sith.

"Having another swing at each other might be quite satisfying for everybody," McGregor teased. "We hope that you enjoy it as much as we're going to enjoy making it."

McGregor last starred in all three George Lucas-directed Star Wars prequels that released into theaters between 1999 and 2005. He briefly reprised his role in a voice-only capacity in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first Star Wars feature from Disney-owned Lucasfilm, and last year's episodic saga finale Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

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