Star Wars Rebels Creator Dave Filoni Wants Ewan McGregor to Voice Obi-Wan.
While there might not be plans for an Obi-Wan: A Star Wars Story movie to be released anytime soon, Ewan McGregor potentially has an opportunity to reprise his role as the Jedi Master elsewhere. Star Wars Rebels showrunner Dave Filoni is interested in getting the actor on-board to voice the character.
From Yahoo!:
Speaking to BANG Showbiz, the 41-year-old animation expert said: “Ewan is absolutely someone on our radar, we would love to have him be a part of the show, for sure. We’re interested in anybody, really, that performed in the films, it’s always great to have that direct tie and to have people that have portrayed the character before. I do have a unique situation with Obi-Wan as James Arnold Taylor was my Obi-Wan in Clone Wars for a long time so I used him early on in Star Wars Rebels, that was meant as a nod to people who had watched that animated series.”
If McGregor were to take up Filoni’s offer, it would make him the fifth actor to reprise his role from the movies, allowing him to join the likes of James Earl Jones (Darth Vader), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Frank Oz (Yoda), and Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian). Voice work certainly isn’t out of the question for McGregor, as he did record a single line (“These are your first steps…”) for The Force Awakens.
Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.
Hey, they got Liam back for TCW animated series – why not Ewan?
I really wish they had committed to an Obi-Wan movie rather than the Han Solo movie. Heck, I would love a trilogy of Obi-Wan movies.
They committed to what George originally laid out. They still might.
I didn’t even like Obi-Wan in the Prequels, but I think he’s solid gold compared to the Han Solo film.
“I didn’t even like Obi-Wan in the Prequels”
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I know. It must be strange to come across different opinions on the Internet. I’ll give you time to adjust your senses.
Wait. Why aren’t you getting better? ^_-
Like being a prequel hater somehow sets you apart…? Fall in line, drone.
It’s not about setting myself apart. After all, lots of people either love or hate the Prequels. It’s about some people being bothered by those with a different opinion about something they’re passionate about.
Well I like the prequels, so let’s just drop it right there.
No need to get touchy. Like whatever you want.
Calm tf down.
I’m not the one getting aggressive.
I’m not sure you could stretch it to a trilogy of Obi-Wan movies, as much as I would love to see that. He’s supposed to be in hiding and protecting Luke (and hoping Anakin never revisits his home planet!!!)
You could take Obi-Wan away for one emergency, but a trilogy?
Maybe filmed back-to-back LotR style? A 3-part epic with Obi-wan would be cool.
Actually, that makes more sense, if it is a short period of time in terms of the narrative, and all connected to the one story/event. I just don’t think you can keep pulling Obi-Wan away from guarding Luke too many times.
Sounds great and makes sense… Which is why it ain’t happening.
He was also a solid voice actor in the Robots film, even if the film itself was a bit flat. I would absolutely love to have Ewan back, sorry JAT!
Didn’t Samuel L. Jackson also play Mace Windu in the Clone Wars movie?
Yes, but only for the film.
Yes, and Christopher Lee (Dooku), also just for the Clone Wars movie.
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I’d hate to take away the Obi-Wan character from JAT.
I know, right? Weird, but it feels wrong kicking him to the curb after having done far more to build the character than in fact either Guinness or McGregor.
i agree. JAT does an amazing job with the character.. and after all the amazingness of clone wars, i feel like he shares the identity with alec guiness and obi-wan equally. and besides, WE ALL WANT EWAN IN A STANDALONE FILM!!! PLEASE READ THIS DISNEY
I love the idea of having Ewan in SW again, but I think each one should stay in his bubble. Bringing him to Rebels is a lack of respect to JAT IMO who has done a fantastic job bridging the character. JAT will be always in a third position cause he only voiced the character, but much of ObiWan’s development has been done in TCW. Ewan owns the real character, JAT the cartoon.
If Ewan does a voice I think it’d be awesome as a side character in an episode, but JAT will always be obi-wan of the animated series. It would be way too jarring I think to voice swap him after he’s already been in so much
What’s Filoni playing at here? Are we really going to have Obi-Wan show up before his appearance in ANH? That just seems off to me. The only way it makes sense, IMO, is if they do a one-off arc with Obi-Wan on Tatooine, showing him watching over Luke or communicating with Qui-Gon or something. DO NOT. I repeat. DO NOT have the Rebels meet up with Obi-Wan before ANH. That just makes no sense.
thank you. I’m fine with the Ghost crew interacting with a lot of OT characters when it makes sense like Leia and Tarkin (eventually Mon Mothma I’m sure) and inconsequential “just because” characters like Lando but I have a SERIOUS ISSUE with Obi-Wan Kenobi being on this show beyond that holocron message in the first episode.
I’m actually ok with Obi-Wan being a part of this so long as they are careful to avoid plot holes. There can be a certain amount of freedom here being that at the beginning of “A New Hope”, Princess Leia was VERY aware of Obi-Wan (and his location) and was forced to send the plans directly to him.
On a side-note: I think James Arnold Taylor needs to be the one they stick with in the Animated Series. Get Ewan McGregor for the Obi-wan stand-alone film!
I always interpreted that as a last-ditch desperation move by Bail. He knew where Ben was the whole time, but he waited until he was really desperate to go find him. It was apparent that Leia didn’t know Ben and that Ben was surprised by her message in ANH.
Maybe he’s in a pre-recorded video message like last time…
Either way, Rebels as it stands is severely messing with the timeline and characters. A little more won’t hurt…
Not really though, it takes place 4/5 years before ANH, a lot can happen in 4 to 5 years.
I can totally see it now. The Ghost Crew is delivering a message to obi-wan on tatooine and at some point Ezra will pick a fight with a young kid at toshie station that turns out to be a young luke. Not sure how I feel about an obi-wan role in rebels (beyond pre-recorded messages). Its great to see familiar faces and I LOVE McGregor, but it feels cartoonish sometimes to have them meet all our heroes from episode 4. Its the same problem the phantom menace had.
I have absolutely no issue with this! I just wish they would find an actual actor that is New Zealand Maori to voice the clones. The guy that does it now sounds like an American trying to sound like an Aussie.. Always the way in Hollywood.