There’s a lot of hype brewing around the latest Star Wars series coming to Disney+. We’ve already gotten plenty of compelling side-story sagas with the likes of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. However, fans of the prequel series should be particularly excited about the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
As the title implies, the show will continue the adventures of the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ewan McGregor, who played the character throughout the prequel trilogy (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of Sith) will be reprising the role for the first time in years. We’ll also see the return of Hayden Christensen to the role of Anakin Skywalker, now having become Darth Vader.
So much do we really know about the Obi-Wan Kenobi series thus far? We’ve already got some teaser trailers, a cast list, and a release date. Let’s go through all of the specifics with everything you need to know about the Obi-Wan Kenobi spin-off show.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Series Release Date
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series will be premiering on Disney+ this May. The start date will be May 27th, 2022 with new episodes coming out every week. The release date will cover Disney+ subscriptions worldwide so there shouldn’t be an issue about where in the world you can watch it.
It’s worth noting that the premiere date coincides around the 45th anniversary of the first Star Wars movie, A New Hope (1977). So it seems like the debut will be a cause for a celebration in more ways than one. At the moment, the show is only confirmed as a miniseries with no plans for a second season.
Episodes
Not a whole lot is known about the Obi-Wan Kenobi series episodes at this moment. What we can say is that the miniseries will last six episodes. How long those episodes will be can only be speculated upon at this time.
It’s fair to say based on the previous Star Wars shows that the running time will be somewhere between 45 to 90 minutes in length per episode. With streaming not having strict time requirements, the episodes can be as short or long as the filmmakers’ desire. This miniseries style may suggest that the story was originally shorter considering that this was once going to be a feature film.
With the release date nearing closer, we’ve already got the biggest taste and tease of the show with trailers. One of the first looks at the show featured a commentary on McGregor returning to the role and series director Deborah Chow talking how the show will play. Chow is worth noting as she has worked on The Mandalorian.
Trailers for Obi-Wan Kenobi Series
Then we got a bigger look earlier this month with a trailer featuring a closer look the Jedi master. We got to see McGregor back with an Obi-Wan beard and a first look at the series villains Inquisitor Reva, Fifth Brother, and the Grand Inquisitor. There was even a glimpse of Darth Vader.
Another aspect worth noting is that the trailer features the return of John Williams’s score. More specifically, the trailer features his most notable track of the prequel series, The Duel of the Fates.
Casting
Most of the casting we’ve already mentioned with McGregor as Obi-Wan and Christensen as Anakin. The Grand Inquisitor will be played by Rupert Friend and Moses Ingram will be stepping into the role of Inquisitor Reva. The Fifth Brother will be played by Sung Kang.
Other Obi-Wan Kenobi series cast members confirmed as regulars include Kumail Nanjiani, Simone Kessell, Benny Safdie, Maya Erskine, and O’Shea Jackson Jr. Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse will be returning for the minor roles of Owen and Beru Lars, the couple who raised Luke Skywalker on Tatooine.
Guest stars will include Marisé Álvarez, Indira Varma, and Grant Feely. Feely is worth noting as he’ll be playing the younger version of Luke Skywalker. It’s hard to say how much of the show he will appear in, whether it’s one episode or a handful.
Franchise Connections
We know specifically where within the timeframe of the movies when the Obi-Wan Kenobi series will take place. It will be set between the films Revenge of the Sith (the end of the prequel trilogy) and A New Hope (the beginning of the original trilogy). But what about the other Star Wars shows?
Will the Obi-Wan Kenobi series crossover with the other shows? It’s possible that there might be a tie-in with Star Wars: The Bad Batch, considering that the animated series is set around the same time period. The show involves rogue Clone Troopers striking out on their own against the Empire that created them. So it’s very possible that one or two characters could make an appearance.
Check out the latest trailer for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series below.
