It’s no secret that Obi-Wan Kenobi has had a very long journey. Years ago, rumors reached us that Ewan McGregor’s Jedi Knight on the big screen could return before the project was adapted into a Disney+ series. Now there are new details about the original plans.
As it turns out, Lucasfilm wanted Obi-Wan Kenobi to have one first own trilogy for the cinema make. Screenwriter Stuart Beattie reveals this in a revealing interview with The Direct. He was one of the first creative forces tasked with coming up with a story for Kenobi.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Those were the plans for the cinema trilogy with Ewan McGregor that was never realized
Beattie is known for movies like Collateral and Pirates of the Caribbean. He has been credited for four of the six episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi. In fact it was on not specifically involved in any of the scripts. Still, they go back to ideas he presented to Lucasfilm for his Obi-Wan Kenobi trilogy.
You can watch the trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi here:
Obi-Wan Kenobi – S01 Trailer (German) HD
As can be seen from the interview, Beattie had ambitious plans for his Star Wars trilogywhich would also have been set between the events of Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars 4: A New Hope.
I have the [Obi-Wan Kenobi-]written the film that the series is based on. I worked on it for about a year and a half. Than after [dem Flop von] Solo: A Star Wars Story When the decision was made not to do any more spin-off films, I left the project and pursued other things. joby [Harold] came on board and got my scripts converted from two to six hours. I have nothing to do with the series. I only got one credit in the episodes because they were my ideas.
Beattie already had formulated storylines developed that would have formed the framework of the Kenobi trilogy. The first film would have looked deep into the soul of Obi-Wan, who would have struggled with his existence as a Jedi and his duty to protect young Luke Skywalker on Tatooine after the events of Order 66.
When I pitched my Obi-Wan story at Lucasfilm, I said, ‘Actually, that’s three stories‘Because there are different stages of development that the character goes through before going from Obi-Wan to Ben.’ The first film, which is now the series, followed the motto: ‘Surrender to the will of the Force. Transport your will, give up your will. Leave the kid alone.’ The Obi-Wan Kenobi trilogy would have purposefully worked towards Episode 4 and brought back Qui-Gon Jinn
The second film would have brought us closer to the events of A New Hope and especially on Obi-Wan’s death fighting Darth Vader worked towards
The second [Film] is about where Kenobi’s journey ends. One of the most powerful moments in Obi-Wan’s story is when he sacrifices himself in A New Hope. A great moment that will make you cry. But if you think about it it happens very suddenly – simply against [Darth Vader] fight, see Luke and then say, ‘I’m going to die.’ That requires foresight for me. That requires some prior acceptance that this would happen.
©Disney
Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn in Obi-Wan Kenobi
This is where Beattie brings in Qui-Gon Jinn, the Obi-Wan in the second film as the Force Ghost prepared for his death would have. Beattie also talks about the sequel’s overarching theme: accepting one’s own mortality.
One thing we all struggle with is coming to terms with our own mortality. That was the second step for me. Obi-Wan must now come to terms with his mortality, perhaps through a prophecy or through Qui-Gon telling him, ‘There will come a time when you… sacrifice for good have to.’ And Obi-Wan then says, ‘What? No, no, no, no, I’m here to help… I can’t.’
That’s an aspect of the current series not even scratched yet became. For Beattie, he represents an important conflict in making Obi-Wan the character who later sacrifices himself for Luke, Leia and company on the Death Star.
Finally, we get to the point where Obi-Wan accepts that he must die and that he chooses to do so willingly. Then you understand the moment [in Eine neue Hoffnung]. Also [Obi-Wan] understands that he was already on this path all along and that now the moment has come is. That’s why he can so easily sacrifice himself and die. For me that was the second development, the second film, the second story.
Beattie doesn’t reveal what the third Obi-Wan film would have looked like. At the end of the interview, however, he lets it be known that both Lucasfilm and McGregor on board the Kenobi trilogy before the devastating flop of Solo: A Star Wars Story led to a rethink at Lucasfilm.
[Ich war] absolutely devastated. But that’s how business works, there are ups and downs. […] I am proud that my story has been told. I’m glad my characters are showing up there and that I got recognition for it. I only wish they could have made my films.
With his last statements, Beattie makes it clear again that apparently many events and characters from the six episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi go back to his ideas. We can be curious to see if more of these will be picked up in the future. Last but not least, there is the question of a second season.
Although Obi-Wan Kenobi was announced as a miniseries, several contributors have signaled in recent weeks that they return for more episodes would. However, the work on the second season of Obi-Wan Kenobi has not yet been officially confirmed. In any case, there seems to be plenty of material for a sequel.
*This Disney+ link is an affiliate link. By taking out a subscription via this link, you support Moviepilot. .
Would you like to see the Obi-Wan trilogy in cinemas?