Should Ewan McGregor Be Replaced In the Obi-Wan Spin-Off?

Drew Dietsch
Movies Star Wars
Movies Star Wars

The news of an Obi-Wan spin-off film has Star Wars fans rabidly speculating about… well, pretty much everything they could possibly speculate about. One of the points of contention has been whether or not Ewan McGregor should return to the role. McGregor portrayed Obi-Wan in the prequel trilogy and is often cited as one of the bright spots in those films.

Why McGregor Should Play Obi-Wan Again

As stated above, McGregor’s performance in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith is usually what fans go to when they want to highlight a good part of those widely derided films. McGregor clearly had fun in the role and he is a talented and well-established actor. He recently wowed audiences with a dual role in the last season of Fargo, so it’s not like he doesn’t have the chops for the job.

It might be nice for McGregor to shine in his own solo adventure. If the script and director are favorable, it could be a great way to bring this version of the character back into the mainstream. McGregor is certainly worthy of a good Star Wars film. Seeing him show up on the big screen is reason enough to champion his return.

Why McGregor Should Not Play Obi-Wan Again

There are those who feel that McGregor’s inclusion in the Obi-Wan film will only serve as a reminder of the prequel trilogy. Seeing McGregor as the classic character might further connect these new Star Wars films to the previous entries that are not held in high regard. Plus, having an Obi-Wan film means we might get more prequelizing (read: explaining things we didn’t need to have explained).

And while Ewan McGregor is still young, it’s questionable how many films he might be able to commit to at his age. If this Obi-Wan film is to be his last venture as the character, then that’s not so bad. But what if the film is a big success? Will Disney want to make a sequel? What then?

Let us know what you think @getfandom!

Drew Dietsch
Drew Dietsch has been professionally writing about entertainment for over a decade. His bylines include FANDOM - where he was a founding contributor and Entertainment Editor - Bloody Disgusting, SYFY WIRE, and more. He created and hosts GenreVision, a weekly film discussion show at genrevision.com.