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Ewan McGregor reportedly in talks to return as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Disney+ series

Ewan McGregor in 'Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones' (2002). Lucasfilm Ltd., courtesy Everett Collection

It’s been more than 14 years since Ewan McGregor portrayed the legendary Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and since then, many diehard Star Wars fans have been itching for his return to the big screen.

According to reports from Variety and Deadline, the 48-year-old actor will soon reprise his role as the much-loved character.

McGregor, best known for his roles in films like Trainspotting and Moulin Rouge!, is reportedly in talks with Disney about coming back as Obi-Wan in an upcoming and currently untitled Disney+ series.

Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi in a still from George Lucas’ movie Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith. The movie premiered on May 15, 2005. Gemini Film/ITAR-TASS/ ABACA.

Whether the series will be based solely on the Obi-Wan Kenobi character is currently unclear.

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The Jedi master was first made famous in 1977 when he was portrayed by the late Sir Alec Guinness in George Lucas’s original Star Wars film, later known as Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope.

Ahead of Lucas’ then-upcoming Star Wars prequel trilogy, McGregor was cast as a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi and played the role between 1999 and 2005 in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith.

While the Star Wars prequel trilogy remains widely unpopular among the series’ core fanbase, many believed that McGregor’s performance throughout the films redeemed their value to at least some degree.

Liam Neeson, right, as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Ewan McGregor, as Obi-Wan Kenobi, during a scene from the Lucasfilm Star Wars: Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace. The film opened worldwide on May 19, 1999. AP Photo/Lucasfilm Ltd.,Keith Hamshere

Though Star Wars earned McGregor no awards, this potential Disney+ exclusive series would serve as his second major television role in recent times.

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McGregor starred in the third season of FX’s Fargo series, playing twin brothers Ray and Emmit Stussy. He won himself both a Critics’ Choice and a Golden Globe award for his performance.

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Before the release of 2018’s box office flop Solo: A Star Wars Story, rumours had initially spread across social media suggesting that the Scottish actor would star in a stand-alone film revolving around the famous Jedi.

The failure of Solo, however, led many to believe the potential feature was put on hold as a result.

Ewan McGregor in Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones (2002). Lucasfilm Ltd., courtesy Everett Collection

The upcoming series would follow two already confirmed Disney+ series: Jon Favreau‘s The Mandalorian and a currently untitled series based off of Rogue One: A Star War Story’s lead male character, Cassian Andor (portrayed by Diego Luna).

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Representatives for neither McGregor nor Disney+ were immediately available to comment in response to Variety’s request for confirmation.

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The reports sparked buzz on social media, with some fans expressing their enthusiasm for McGregor.

https://twitter.com/leiaskvwalkers/status/1162161171295801344

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https://twitter.com/AthenaStamos/status/1162179197713780751

In addition to the upcoming Star Wars projects, Disney+ will be home to a plethora of all-new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series, including Hawkeye and Loki.

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Disney+ launches on Nov. 12 in North America. Details can be found through the official website.

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The full list of upcoming MCU films and Disney+ exclusive series is available here.

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adam.wallis@globalnews.ca

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