Among upcoming horror movies on the 2026 movie schedule is a mysterious one called The End Of Oak Street. For much of the year, I’ve been curious about what to expect from the J.J. Abrams-produced thriller, and now I have a much better idea. It’s a dinosaur movie with a twist – they're somehow invading a typical American suburb.

CinemaBlend had the opportunity to experience fourteen minutes of The End Of Oak Street in 4DX and hear from producer J.J. Abrams. It’s about a nuclear family with a dog led by Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway (in her fourth of five movies this year alone). They live in a quiet suburb, but one morning there’s a number of dinosaur sightings that rattle them enough to attempt to leave home. The problem is at the end of their street now has a cliff that leads to a prehistoric land. Here’s what Abrams said of how he got involved:

There’s absolutely a mystery afoot in The End Of Oak Street. But, when Abrams mentioned an “Amblin vibe” I was expecting a lot more comparisons to Jurassic Park than to Poltergeist. Between his comments and the footage we watched, I totally see what he’s saying. Check out this new clip:

This new summer flick and the actually cursed 1982 Spielberg movie feel like they come from the same DNA. Why? Because, it’s really more about the family and their dynamics than the creatures they are trying to survive. As Abrams put it:

The End Of Oak Street was written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, who was previously behind It Follows and Under The Silver Lake. In the same conversation, the filmmaker talked about wanting to connect “the average and mundane” with something fantastical. And, he had always wanted to make a dinosaur movie. In a quick interview with him at the event, I had to ask how much of his horror sensibilities to expect in the family-centered film. He said this:

How exciting! The End Of Oak Street may very much be a dinosaur movie, but it’s drawing from much different influences than I expected. And, that only has me more interested in it. The End Of Oak Street comes to theaters on August 14.

There are times when seeing the name of a particular star or filmmaker can get you really excited for a new movie. Sometimes, a certain person being involved in a film can be the reason you decide to go. The new trailer for The End of Oak Street starring Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway is sure to tell you that it's produced by J.J. Abrams, but I'm not sure that's entirely necessary, because I could have guessed.

The End of Oak Street, formerly known as Flowervale Street, is only produced by Abrams. It's directed by David Robert Mitchell of It Follows fame. That's also not particularly shocking, as there are clear horror vibes in the new trailer. However, the thing that the footage, and likely the film as a whole, will be selling itself on is not what you are going to see, but the questions you want answered, in true J.J. Abrams fashion. Check out the trailer above.

The End Of Oak Street Is Pure J.J. Abrams Mystery Box

The trailer gives us Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway as part of a family who have apparently woken up one day to discover that their house, and their entire neighborhood, has been transported from wherever it was to someplace else. How or why did this happen? Thus far, nobody knows, but apparently, there are also dinosaurs.

Almost certainly, the how and the why of the supernatural transportation will be what the movie focuses on. It's not a shock that this is a Bad Robot production because this sort of thing seems to be exactly what gets J.J. Abrams out of bed in the morning. He has spoken at length in the past about his love for what he calls the "mystery box." A movie that is all about giving the audience questions and then getting them to watch the movie or TV show in order to get the answers.

A lot of people love J.J. Abrams' projects for exactly this reason. People tuned into Lost for years to follow every twist and turn in the story. I love a good mystery myself, and I won't pretend I'm not curious to see where The End of Oak Street goes with its story. The problem is, sometimes when we get J.J.'s mystery box open, we don't love what's inside.

The Resolution To These Mysteries Aren't Always Satisfying

The problem when you hang your entire movie on a central mystery is that the mystery's solution has to pay off, or people are going to leave the movie disappointed, regardless of how good the rest of it was. This is something we've seen happen with J.J. Abrams projects before. See the still-controversial ending to Lost as the most notable example.

It doesn't mean The End of Oak Street won't pay off and be great. Sometimes J.J. Abrams gives us The Cloverfield Paradox, sure. But sometimes he gives us 10 Cloverfield Lane, and we are dazzled. One way or another, we'll find out what's inside the mystery box this summer.

Lots of people love going to theme parks like Disneyland. While some famous celebs are full on Disney Adults, others just enjoy the occasional day at a theme park like everybody else. Often celebrities have to use VIP services to keep from getting mobbed in the parks. However, Star Wars icon Ewan McGregor apparently doesn’t have that problem, as he once went to Disneyland (on SW Day) and nobody recognized him.

In a post shared to Instragram by The Zach Sang Show, McGregor’s wife, Mary Elizabeth Winstead reveals that the couple once went to Disneyland together and that the Obi-Wan Kenobi actor took no precautions to avoid being recognized beyond wearing a hat. But somehow, he made it through a day at the park without anybody realizing it was him.

Disneyland has done regular Star Wars Nite events after hours for the last several years, and they're very popular. It’s likely one of those events that Winstead is referring to, though the park has also done what it calls Season of the Force, bridging attention to Star Wars for several months with special food items, attraction overlays and other experiences.

Even under normal Disneyland circumstances, I’d expect somebody would notice Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead walking around together, but as the actress points out, the circumstances of the time period meant that there were people in the park dressed as Obi-Wan Kenobi, who apparently walked right by Kenobi without realizing it.

Meeting this couple would be a big deal for any serious Star Wars fan. In addition to McGregor playing Obi-Wan in thew prequel films and the follow up Disney+ series, Winstead played the live-action version of popular character Hera Syndulla in the first season of Disney+’s Ahsoka series. Expectations are that she will return in some capacity for Season 2 of the upcoming Star Wars series, which is set to debut sometime next year and be available with a Disney+ subscription.

To be fair, as Winstead points out, nobody is going to be standing in line for Hyperspace Mountain and expect to have somebody famous standing next to them. Even if you saw a major celebrity at Disneyland, if they didn’t have the VIP host with them, you’d have no reason to believe it was somebody famous and likely wouldn’t give them a second look.

As a theme park writer who also covers Hollywood I'll admit I always keep my eyes open for "plaids" the VIP tour guides, to see who might be with them. I figure it's only a matter of time before I run into major Disney Adults like Neil Patrick Harris, Josh Gad or John Stamos. Or possibly Gad and Stamos, singing on Pirates of the Caribbean.

Of course, now that I know Ewan McGregor can walk around Disneyland without being recognized, this clearly means there isn’t enough Obi-wan in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. If Luke Skywalker can be added to the land, clearly Obi-Wan can. Perhaps McGregor could visit the park when the character debuts, it’s not like anybody will bother him.

While there are a few upcoming Star Wars shows and movies on the way, fans might be sad that one of the most acclaimed recent offerings is still in relative limbo without much of a future. There's been no word on whether Obi-Wan Kenobi will return for Season 2, with most signs pointing to "nope. But if it were to score a renewal, would Ewan McGregor be up to reprise his role?

The actor seemingly answered that question while appearing at Fan Expo Chicago 2025, after talking about how he hadn't filmed any new projects since last Spring. The actor made a joking plea to Disney, essentially asking for Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 2 so he can have a job again (via ThePopverse.com):

I agree with Ewan McGregor, because if I had my way, I would've been watching a new season of Obi-Wan Kenobi with my Disney+ subscription yesterday. The actor has expressed hopes for what he'd hope would be featured in a hypothetical Season 2, although we haven't heard any official word on it happening.

It is worth mentioning that Anakin actor Hayden Christensen and others have said Obi-Wan Kenobi was originally conceived to be a one-off miniseries. Even if the Star Wars series wanted to make more episodes, not having scripts ready by the time Season 1 ended back in 2022, it would take a while to write up fresh ideas and rally everyone who would be involved.

Long gaps between seasons of popular shows meant for streaming is more or less the norm these days, so I doubt anyone would bat an eye if Obi-Wan Kenobi was renewed for Season 2 after three years of silence. That said, a renewal now would likely mean an even longer gap until the series is ready, and who knows what it might be about given how much time would've passed between Season 1 and 2.

In the meantime, the Star Wars franchise is working on a lot of projects, mainly on the movie side of things. Star Wars: Visions Season 3 is coming in October in the immediate future, and The Mandalorian and Grogu's release date is set for 2026. That's just what's on the horizon, as there's a lot more beyond that in the years to come that should keep creatives busy for a while.

One of the downsides of being a decision-maker for a massive sci-fi franchise is the inability to predict what fans may respond to and want more of. A similar thing happened in the Star Trek universe when Picard ended, as fans wanted a Legacy sequel, but the decision-makers already had other plans for new shows. Maybe Star Wars can do what Trek didn't and bring back Obi-Wan yet again, but we'll have to wait and see if that happens.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is available to stream over on Disney+, along with a collection of Star Wars shows and movies. I'm feeling like I want to revisit it after Ewan McGregor's recent comments, and maybe my watching will help convince someone at Disney to get another season rolling.

Jango Fett may have told Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones that it’s always a pleasure to meet a Jedi, but what unfolded not long after later proved quite the opposite for the bounty hunter. Jango and Obi-Wan got into quite the tussle on a Kamino landing platform as rain was pouring down on them, and this resulted in quite the unfortunate injury when Episode II was filming. Ewan McGregor, the man who brought Obi-Wan to life in the Prequel Trilogy and the character’s self-titled Disney+ subscription-exclusive TV series, revealed that his stunt double “broke his teeth” while shooting this sequence.

During his panel at Fan Expo Chicago (via EW), McGregor was asked if he remembered any particularly nasty injuries from the making of Attack of the Clones. The actor brought up how Nash Edgerton, his stunt double and brother of young Owen Lars actor Joel Edgerton, took quite the spill on a day when someone special in his life was visiting:

I’d say “That’s gotta hurt!”, but I’m too busy feeling badly for how Nash Edgerton didn’t just land wrong and break his teeth in front of the cast and crew, but also tried to keep up a facade in front of his mother. Fortunately, Ewan McGregor added that someone escorted her away to get “a cup of tea” once it became clear that her son was “not all right.” McGregor then assured the crowd that more than two decades after Attack of the Clones’ release, Edgerton’s doing just fine, even quipping, “He’s got lovely teeth.”

Considering Nash Edgerton went on to perform stunts in the second and third Matrix movies, Superman Returns, The Equalizer, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and The Fall Guy, among many other movies and TV shows, yeah, we can take Ewan McGregor’s word that he turned out ok. Additionally, Nash later worked with Joel Edgerton on Zero Dark Thirty, The Great Gatsby and Felony. Outside of stunts, Nash has also directed various short films, music videos and episodes of TV shows.

Released on May 16, 2022, Attack of the Clones (which *NSYNC nearly cameoed in) isn’t one of the more critically well-received Star Wars movies, and it only made close to $654 million worldwide. That’s a far cry from the $1.407 billion and $905.6 million The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith respectively pulled in. Still, the middle chapter of the Prequel Trilogy laid important groundwork for this mythology based in a galaxy far, far away, and the events immediately following this movie would later be explored in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series. And hey, at least Ewan McGregor crushed it as Obi-Wan in Attack of the Clones, just like he always does in this franchise.

While it remains to be seen if McGregor will reprise his Jedi character in Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 2 or elsewhere, 2026 is set to be a big year for Star Wars fans. The Mandalorian & Grogu will open in theaters on May 22, 2026, Ahsoka Season 2 is also expected to be released on Disney+ next year, though a premiere date hasn’t been set yet.

After debuting in 2016’s Suicide Squad, Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn (whose DCU future has yet to be clarified) returned four years later for Birds of Prey, this time accompanied by the likes of Huntress, Black Canary and Cassandra Cain. The heroines clashed with Gotham City crime lord Roman Sionis, a.k.a. Black Mask, whom I thought Ewan McGregor did a great (and sometimes hilarious) job playing. However, it turns out that originally Harley and her gal pals were originally supposed to be antagonized by a different, and frankly more famous Batman villain: Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. The Penguin.

Robbie herself revealed this to Colin Farrell, her costar in the forthcoming 2025 movie release A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. Farrell, of course, played The Penguin in 2022’s The Batman, then reprised the role last year for the character’s self-titled HBO miniseries, which netted him a nomination at the 2025 Emmy Awards airing next month. It was actually Penguin’s inclusion in The Batman that prevented Birds of Prey from using him, with Robbie recalling:

Colin Farrell was surprised when Margot Robbie brought this up during an interview with EW, prompting him to ask how Christina Hodson did writing Penguin in Birds of Prey. Robbie said this take on the character was “amazing,” but didn’t divulge any specific details. However, the Barbie actress and executive producer still has a copy of that earlier script and told Farrell she’d send it to him. So he’ll be one of the few people to get a peek at what could have been in this corner DC Extended Universe.

There is a reality where Birds of Prey wouldn’t have been able to use The Penguin without any issues. That’s because before The Batman became a non-DCEU movie starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, it was meant to spotlight Ben Affleck’s version of the Caped Crusader following his appearances in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Justice League. That incarnation of The Batman would have featured Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke as the main villain, leaving Birds of Prey to utilize The Penguin unimpeded.

That plan went out the proverbial window once Affleck exited the project and Matt Reeves came aboard to reboot Batman once again, leaving Black Mask to take Penguin’s place. As much as I would have liked to have seen what the DCEU’s Oswald Cobblepot looked like, I think it was for the best that we got Black Mask in Birds of Prey instead. Ewan McGregor’s Roman Sionis fit well with the vibe of the Cathy Yan-directed movie, and this allowed for another Batman villain to appear in their first live-action movie, whereas Penguin had already been played by Danny DeVito in Batman Returns.

Stream Birds of Prey with an HBO Max subscription if you’re now in the mood to revisit the antics of McGregor’s Black Mask. Catch Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell together in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey starting on September 19, and expect Colin Farrell to step back into The Penguin’s shoes when The Batman: Part II is released on October 1, 2027.

Acting as an art form is hilarious at times when you hear stories from the behind the scenes. Even for adult actors, sometimes you have to find a really weird angle to get that perfect expression for a shot, so I can’t even imagine the mental gymnastics one would have to go through when you’re a child actor. Luckily, many performers seem to be very forthcoming with advice, especially for their younger co-stars. Ewan McGregor shared some advice he gave to a young co-star in the making of Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones, and it's impressive that it worked as well as it did.

During an interview on The Graham Norton Show, McGregor was asked about a scene he had with Daniel Logan, who played young Boba Fett in the 2002 Star Wars blockbuster. For those who can’t remember it specifically or want to pull the movie clip up and watch it later, the moment in question is when Obi Wan goes to Camino to hunt down Jango Fett and encounters his young clone. According to McGregor, the young actor had a bit of trouble expressing the right emotion, saying,

McGregor, while unable to remember the name of his co-star or the original scene when addressed on the show, was able to recollect his advice well. His nugget of wisdom went as follows:

Hearing the anecdote, I obviously laughed (like everyone else on the panel). It’s pretty funny, because again, actors are able to get the perfect reactions from the most bizarre places. That’s nothing new, but like the rest of the panel, I also erupted in laughter when the ‘punchline’ hit and they threw up a shot from the scene:

Among sharing his behind-the-scenes shenanigans, McGregor has opened up about his involvement in the prequels, and their polarizing reception over the years. He has previously shared that the early 2000s were rough for him, something that co-star Hayden Christensen also shared his feelings on. Following the release of the Disney+ series Ahsoka and Obi-Wan Kenobi, there has been a kind of resurgence of the people who did like the original prequels. Christensen has said that there has been ‘vindication’ for his previous work.

While recently some works in the Star Wars franchise have been struggling to find its audience, cast members like McGregor have been vocal not just about their involvement but also their hope for the projects going forward. And that is very refreshing to see and hear as someone who grew up watching every Star Wars movie in order properly and backwards if the mood struck me but have been feeling like recent entries have some missteps.

Feelings about the prequels aside, I’m now going to be sharing the story of McGregor’s advice to Daniel Logan every time I rewatch Episode II. And right in time for May the 4^th nonetheless. I think I found my 'hey did you know' for a new franchise.

The NBA season is underway, and an upcoming Star Wars project is near as well. While we wait for the arrival of the TV show Skeleton Crew amid the 2024 TV schedule, readers might be interested to know that Hayden Christensen and other SW vets recently rubbed shoulders with one of the elite players in professional basketball. The star in question is young player Victor Wembanyama, who is a massive fan of the franchise. And, after seeing them link up, I'd love to see Wembanyama appear in the galaxy far, far away.

For anyone who's more so up on science fiction and less on sports, Victor Wembanyama is the same player whose security detail stopped Britney Spears from approaching him. Those who follow the NBA may not even know that he's a huge fan of the prequel movies, and had a chance to make his dream come true, thanks to the stars aligning.

How Victor Wembanyama Met The Star Wars Actors

A picture posted by @_TheFailedJedi on X (via @Wemby_Muse) showed "Wemby" with not just Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, but also Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano). Before anyone starts speculating about plans for Ahsoka Season 2, I should note there's a reason for this.

As reported by KENS5, Spacecon 2024 recently took place in San Antonio. It was there that the three actors were guests of the convention. Seeing as Victor Wembanyama is the star of the San Antonio Spurs, it was likely easy to arrange for him to meet the trio, even with the NBA season going on. What might be harder, however, would be getting him into a Star Wars production, but I still think it would be worth the trouble.

Why Victor Wembanyama Would Be Great For Star Wars

I'm always a fan of surprising athlete cameos in movies, but there's a specific reason why Victor Wembanyama lends himself to Star Wars in a way even other basketball players couldn't. He stands at seven feet, four inches tall, and has a wingspan of eight feet. So he's not only incredibly tall, but his arms are also incredibly long.

His physique has likened comparisons to the creepy character Slenderman, who the France native actually dressed as last Halloween. Take a look:

Star Wars is a franchise with tons of different species and aliens of different shapes and sizes. Surely, there's room for him to appear as one of them. I'd say maybe cast him as a young Jedi but, given how The Acolyte and other shows have been about the brutal murder of those Force-users, I'm not sure he'd want that role. (Though I could be wrong in that assumption.)

He could be the tallest Wookiee to ever appear in Star Wars, which would be fitting given his recent custom Nike shoes themed after the franchise. These just have to be seen to be believed, so without further comment, check out the "Wookiee of the Year":

I should also note that Star Wars has used professional basketball players before to play Wookiees in the universe. Joonas Suotomo, who ultimately took over the role of Chewbacca for Peter Mayhew, was on the Finnish national basketball team. It's also been noted several times over the years that Lucasfilm hired several Australian basketball players to portray Wookiees when they were filming for Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (via @NBL).

All in all, I'm just saying that the opportunity could be there for Victor Wembanyama if he can talk to the right people. Whether he spoke to Hayden Christensen and co. about that during their meet-up is unclear. Nevertheless, I remain hopeful that something can be worked out.

Catch the premiere of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew using a Disney+ subscription when it premieres on December 3. I wouldn't expect Victor Wembanyama to be a part of the fun, but I hope we see him appear in the franchise down the way!

In an era where even series from major franchises like Star Wars are having a hard time finding an audience, getting a second season of anything is seemingly like a long shot. The Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+ was only ever presented as a limited series, indicating that a second season wasn’t specifically planned, but Ewan McGregor is up for returning, and he even has an idea of what he wants to do with it.

While there are no specific plans for another season of the Star Wars Disney+ series as far as we know, Ewan McGregor has been more than open about the fact that he would like to return to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi at some point in the future. Speaking with Comicbook.com, McGregor revealed some specific things he would love to do if he had the chance. Interestingly, one of them involves taking the character back in time and doing a live-action story set during The Clone Wars. The actor said…

Seeing The Clone Wars in live-action certainly has appeal. We only ever saw the events depicted in animation, so seeing Ewan McGregor decked out in armor in live-action would surely be fun to see for fans.

And it certainly wouldn’t be the first time we’d seen the animated universe of Star Wars appear in live-action. Rosario Dawson, of course, has appeared as Ahsoka Tano in live-action, her character was originally introduced in The Clone Wars series as well. The Ahsoka series brought several characters from the animated Rebels series into live-action as well.

It’s an interesting idea if for no other reason than such an idea would set a new live-action Obi-Wan story before the events of the series we already have. Part of the reason that the DIsney+ series worked chronologically was that it had been so long since prequel trilogy that Ewan McGregor was the right age for a story set about a decade prior to iStar Wars: A New Hope.

A story set earlier would likely mean de-aging McGregor via CGI. The actor says he’s more than willing to do that, but it would mean one of the most extensive uses of the technology we’ve seen to date. Traditionally that sort of CGI is used for only a few scenes or is limited to secondary characters. De-aging which would be in essentially every shot of a series or movie would be a first.

One thing that a live-action Clone Wars story would do, that Ewan McGregor also seems excited about, is that it would bring Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan together again. Christensen returned for flashback scenes in the Obi-Wan series and donned the Darth Vader mask as well, but seeing them be Jedi together again would be great.

That’s certainly something that a lot of fans would get behind. At this point, more live-action Obi-Wan is nothing more than theoretical. Still considering the first series was a success, it’s hard to imagine that another adventure for Obi-Wan isn’t at least being considered.

James Gunn’s DCU Chapter 1 is finally taking shape and, as it does, rumors have been swirling around the various productions that are in the works. One of those is the TV show Lanterns, which is reportedly set to focus on a pair of Green Lanterns. Hal Jordan will apparently be one of the lead characters and, per a recent rumor, Josh Brolin is being eyed to play him. That piece of news is interesting enough on its own but, now, it’s been alleged that two more A-listers could be in the running to portray Jordan.

According to the original report, Josh Brolin has allegedly just been offered the role of Hal Jordan at this point and no official deal has been signed. The InSneider now claims that should the Dune star pass on Lanterns, the producers have two other actors in mind. Matthew McConaughey and Ewan McGregor are supposedly the two leading men that are being considered as alternate options. To say that either one of those castings would be huge for the show – and the DCU as a whole – would be an understatement.

Both of the actors certainly have proven their talents on multiple occasions throughout the course of their careers, and each could bring a different kind of vibe to Hal. Texas native Matthew McConaughey certainly has plenty of swagger that would be fitting for Jordan. Of course, he can also bring a sense of relatability to the character, and that element has arguably been synonymous with plenty of interpretations of Hal over the years. McConaughey definitely isn’t the first person I’d imagine for the part but, when I really think about it, the Oscar winner is a solid fit.

Ewan McGregor would also bring a considerable amount of gravitas to the role. I’m definitely of the mindset that McGregor could imbue Hal with a cerebral nature – similar to what he’s done with Star Wars’ Obi-Wan Kenobi over the years. Going in that direction for this version of Jordan would certainly make sense, especially given that he’ll reportedly be something of a mentor to a younger John Stewart.

This latest report on Lanterns should, of course, be taken with a grain of salt at this time, as none of the bigwigs at DC Studios have confirmed or denied any casting rumors. If Josh Brolin, Ewan McGregor and Matthew McConaughey are indeed all in the running, though, it would drive home the assumption that the producers want a more seasoned actor to play Hal. Based on the casting choices that have been made for the DCU thus far, I’d say that James Gunn and co. have made some inspired choices, and that rings true with this newest bit of news.

Lanterns’ showrunner is Chris Mundy, who’s arguably best known for serving in that same role on the hit Netflix crime series Ozark. The veteran EP also has notable titles like Criminal Minds and True Detective on his resume. Given his past credits, Mundy should be a perfect fit for the upcoming DC show, which will see Hal Jordan and John Stewart investigate a mystery. Specific details on the series are currently being kept under wraps, but what is known is that the project moved from Max to HBO and will run for eight episodes.

It’ll probably be a while before any official news on the Green Lantern-focused show is announced. Nevertheless, I remain excited and intrigued by the possibilities this production presents. Of course, I’ll also be waiting intently to see if Josh Brolin, Matthew McConaughey or Ewan McGregor ultimately end up playing one of the show’s co-leads.

Those eager for some DCTV content should know that The Penguin – which is not set in the DCU but is part of The Batman’s continuity – is on the way. It premieres for Max subscription holders on Thursday, September 19 at 9 p.m. ET. After that, the show will air on HBO, starting on Sunday, September 29 at 9 p.m. ET amid the 2024 TV schedule.

From the moment it debuted with a two-hour pilot episode in September of 1994 until it left the air in 2009, ER was a ratings monster. It regularly topped the ratings for the year during its 331-episode run and launched careers left and right. George Clooney for goodness sake! Not only did it have big stars in its regular cast like Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Maura Tierney, and Eriq LaSalle, but it also had a huge amount of guest stars and up-and-coming actors roll through the show. Here is our list of some of the biggest. 

Nick Offerman

Nick Offerman is most well known for playing the great Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation where he regularly delivered some of the funniest lines on the show. He didn't have anything funny to say in his one role on ER where he played a bandmate of a bass player in distress in the emergency room.  

Taraji P. Henson

The accolades for Taraji P. Henson's acting have come fast and fierce in recent years, but she's been showcasing her talent on screen since the late '90s. One of her earliest roles was in a Season 4 episode of ER, and then in Season 5, she returned in a different role. She kept landing guest roles for years on shows like CSI and Boston Legal before landing her starring turn in Empire and the rest is history. 

Bradley Whitford

A few years before the role of Josh Lyman on The West Wing would make him a star, Bradley Whitford appeared in two episodes of ER in 1995. He'd been working regularly for almost a decade at that point and would find small roles here and there for another few years before The West Wing. He's been an in-demand actor ever since. 

Kristin Davis

Before she was a regular on Melrose Place, and before she was one of Jerry's many girlfriends on Seinfeld, Kristin Davis played a woman who was very into George Clooney's character very briefly in one episode of the first season of ER. While she only showed up once on the show, it clearly opened some big doors - and big martini glasses - in the future. 

Zac Efron

Before becoming a star in High School Musical, Zac Efron was almost type-cast as a troubled teen. On ER he played a teenager who turned up in the emergency room after being shot. He was also a troublemaker in an early role on NCIS. These days he's one of the biggest stars to grace the screen, but he used to just be in trouble on screen! 

Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor is something different to different generations. For some, he'll always be Renton in Trainspotting. Of course, for many, he'll always be a young Obi-Wan Kenobi. For even others, he's known as the guy who drove his motorcycle around the world in Long Way Round. You can't help but wonder if that name was inspired by his guest spot on ER in a Season 3 episode called "The Long Way Around" in 1997. 

Julie Bowen

While Julie Bowen is best known these days for playing Claire Dunphy in Modern Family, her career stretches way further back. Her first TV role came in the early '90s and her breakout role came in the 1993 Adam Sandler smash hit Happy Gilmore. In the late '90s, she had a nine-episode run on ER as the reoccurring character named Roxanne Please, who was John Carter's (Noah Wyle) girlfriend. 

Ving Rhames

1994 was a big year for Ving Rhames. Not only did he star in Pulp Fiction, but he also landed a reoccurring role as Walt Robbins, father-in-law to Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle). In total, he appeared in eight episodes over three seasons, but by then he'd also starred in Mission: Impossible and the rest is history. 

Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu is no stranger to hit television shows. She was a star of Ally McBeal in the '90s and '00s, and in Elementary in the teens. Early on, she also appeared in cameos and supporting roles on big shows like NYPD Blue and The X-Files. She also made it onto three episodes of ER, in 1995. 

Chris Pine

Believe it or not, there was a time when Chris Pine wasn't one of the "Chrises" and wasn't one of the biggest movie stars in the world. He was, in his early days, just like so many other actors, just looking to snag any role they could. Luckily for Pine, it was on a show like ER. In fact, the show he appeared in during Season 9 of the show was his first credited acting performance. 

Don Cheadle

When Don Cheadle appeared as a doctor in a 4-episode arc in 2002 on ER, he was already well-established as an actor. In fact, it came not long after he was established enough to take his name off the credits of Ocean's Eleven, despite delivering some of the best one-liners in the movie. 

J.K. Simmons

Any fan of Law & Order knows just how ingrained J.K. Simmons was in prime-time television around the turn of the century. He was a regular on that show, and he turned up in a bunch of others as well, including an episode of ER in 2004. you can always count on a great J.K. Simmons performance, no matter what he is in. 

Christina Hendricks

While she had been cast in a number of shows before Mad Men, Christina Hendricks had never really broken through as a star. That changed with the AMC show, but before that, she was just a regular hard-working actress in Hollywood. One of her earliest gigs was on ER in 2002. 

Adam Scott

Adam Scott is not the only Parks And Recreation star to appear in ER early in his career, but he did have a pretty intense role as an injured man clinging to life in the emergency room way back in 1995. It's hard to imagine it took 15 more years to get the big-time attention he deserves when he landed his role on Park & Rec. 

Glen Howerton

In 2005 Always Sunny In Philadelphia took the world by storm and went on to become one of the longest-running sitcoms of all time. Glen Howerton played a huge part in that, as one of the stars and co-creators. A couple of years earlier, he was playing a very different role as a doctor in six Episodes of ER during its 10th Season. 

Keiko Agena

Gilmore Girls regular and co-star of Prodigal Son, Keiko Agena is one of the few actors who played two different characters on ER. She first appeared on the show very early in her career, in 1998, then later appeared in the final season in 2009. 

Jessica Chastain

With three Oscar nominations and one win, Jessica Chastain has proven she's among the best Hollywood has to offer. She proved her acting years ago though, in shows like ER. In only her second credited role, she appeared on ER in 2004 in an episode called "Forgive and Forget."

Aaron Paul

For most people, Aaron Paul is best known for his legendary role in Breaking Bad but years before that show would become a hit, he played a pretty similar character on ER in an episode called "A Saint in the City," way back in 2003. 

Octavia Spencer

In 1998 when Octavia Spencer appeared on ER, it was the latest in a string of supporting roles she landed early in her career. That string would continue for a little while longer before she emerged as one of the most beloved stars of the teens and '20s after her star-making role in The Help.

Mena Suvari

As it was for a lot of cast members, American Pie was huge for Mena Suvari. She had been working for a few years in Hollywood before that, picking up roles here and there in shows like Boy Meets World and movies like The Slums of Beverly Hills. Another early role came in a 1998 episode of ER where she played a high school cheerleader who didn't want to listen to her doctors. 

Kirsten Dunst

As a child actor, Kirsten Dunst's career started when she was just six years old. It would be a few years before she landed a brief reoccurring role as a troubled teen in six episodes of ER in the show's third season. 

Dakota Fanning

Quite a few child actors who went on to greater fame came through the doors of the emergency room at Cook County General Hospital, including a young Dakota Fanning. Fanning played a young girl named Delia who came in after a car accident and viewers find out she's a cancer survivor. 

James Cromwell

One of the ultimate "that guys" in Hollywood, James Cromwell has been acting for decades. His career really started in earnest in the mid-'70s and he's been playing supporting and starring roles ever since. On ER, he played a drug-seeking priest in four episodes in Season 7. 

Josh Peck

Josh Peck was a breakout Nickelodeon star as half of Drake & Josh. That wasn't his first role though. After a few small roles and a reoccurring spot in The Amanda Show (which led to Drake & Josh), he landed a small role in an episode of ER in 2002 as a kid with heart problems. 

Eva Mendes

Before Eva Mendes semi-retired to raise her family with Ryan Gosling, she was one of the biggest stars on the planet. You can trace her career all the way back to her very first role which came in 1998 on an episode of ER. It's wild to look back and watch her doing her first on-screen performances with George Clooney and not think about what lay ahead for both of them. 

Shia LaBeouf

Without a doubt, Shia LaBeouf has had one of the wildest careers of the 21st Century. There have been times when he was on top of the world, and others when he... definitely wasn't. One high point early in his career was of a kid in the emergency room of Cook County General in 2000, during Season 6. 

Milana Vayntrub

Milana Vayntrub eventually became one of the most recognizable actors in commercials as the AT&T pitchwoman. Long before that though, she was like a lot of child actors who got their start on ER. She appeared in three episodes, her first three credited roles, as a Russian girl, way back in Season 1. 

John Mahoney

Before scoring the role of a lifetime as Martin Crane on Fraiser, John Mahoney had been a steadily working actor going back to the '70s. After Frasier, he could pretty much write his own ticket. One role he chose to take was that of a self-professed "drag queen" whose long-time boyfriend was in rough shape in the hospital on ER in 2006, making a strong statement about gay marriage before many were brave enough to join him. 

Janel Moloney

One of the many great actresses who found early work in their career on ER was Janel Moloney. Moloney scored only a handful of roles between that and The West Wing, but boy was the West Wing lucky to have her - as was ER in its first season when she appeared in one episode. 

Amy Ryan

One of the most underrated characters in The Wire has to be Beadie Russell, played by Amy Ryan. About a decade before she joined The Wire in Season 2, she starred in a single episode of ER in the show's first season. She's been in many TV shows and movies since, including a beloved recurring role on The Office and in the underrated Netflix original Worth.

Rosemary Clooney

George Clooney isn't the only famous person in his family. His aunt is, of course, the inimitably Rosemary Clooney, who was one of the most beloved singers of her generation. She only had about a dozen acting credits on her impressive resume, but one was ER during the show's first season. What a great experience for her and her nephew. Her son, actor Miguel Ferrer, also appeared in an uncredited role in the series premiere of the show. 

Dan Hedaya

If you grew up in the '90s, Dan Hedaya was seemingly everywhere, but he's probably best remember by that generation as Cher Horowitz's angry but loving father in Clueless. On ER, he plays a lawyer with... questionable ethics, but a heart of gold. He appeared in four episodes over the length of the whole show. remembered

Over the past several years, the Star Wars franchise fandom has truly started to embrace the once-polarizing prequel series. The returns of Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor to the franchise in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka have been highlights of recent entries. Not only have fans celebrated their adorable reunions on and off-screen but this period of time has marked "vindication" for the prequels. Of course, years prior, the early 2000s were a tumultuous time for the fandom, and no one understands this better than McGregor himself. Recently, the beloved Jedi Master actor opened up about how "rough" that time was and how perceptions have changed.

The Star Wars prequels, beginning with The Phantom Menace in 1999, followed by Attack of the Clones in 2002, and concluding with Revenge of the Sith in 2005, were initially met with mixed to negative reactions from critics and older fans. As someone who has watched the Star Wars movies in order countless times, there are aspects that some consider better than the sequel trilogy; these films were a significant departure from their predecessors. In a recent interview with LA Times, Ewan McGregor recalls the difficult period following the release of these films:

The Moulin Rouge! star’s sentiments reflect the frustration many involved in the prequel trilogy felt. The backlash was significant and vocal, often overshadowing the intention behind the films. Critics and older fans were relentless, focusing on what they perceived as flaws in the story, character development and George Lucas’ heavy use of CGI.

This isn’t the first time Ewan McGregor has opened up about his experience with the 90s revival of the Star Wars saga. Earlier this year, the Trainspotting actor explained that the early criticism was harsh, making it challenging to stay enthusiastic about filming two more movies after the backlash that The Phantom Menace faced.

However, as time has passed, children of the early millennium, like myself, who grew up watching the prequel series, have begun to express their love for the first three chronological episodes. The advent of social media platforms has allowed these now-adults to share their positive experiences and nostalgia openly. This shift has been a balm for the Doctor Sleep actor and others who worked on the films, as they now see the impact and love these movies hold for a new generation of fans. This may be partially why Hayden Christensen found it cool to wear his Anakin costume again, marking his return to the series that was once so hard on him in particular. 

Ewan McGregor's reflections on the changing tides of Star Wars fandom offer a fascinating insight into how time and perspective can alter the reception of art and media. The prequels' initial rough reception has transformed into a cherished chapter of the universe for countless people, embraced by a generation with the platforms to voice its appreciation.

As the franchise continues to evolve, with upcoming Star Wars films and TV series on the horizon, it's clear that the stories and characters introduced in the prequels will remain a beloved part of the saga. You can revisit the prequels and all of Ewan McGregor’s appearances in the franchise by streaming the movies and Obi-Wan Kenobi with a Disney+ subscription. 

Accents are incredibly difficult and to be clear, this isn't knocking any of the people on this list's acting talents. Some of the best actors in the world often struggle with accents. In fact, everyone on this list should be praised for taking the risk and even attempting one. That said, this is still a list of actors with bad accents in a role. 

Dick Van Dyke – Mary Poppins

Quite possibly the most notorious of an actor messing up an accent is Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. The Midwest native's take on a London Cockney accent is... rough. The rest of his performance is legendary, of course, but boy, it's rough to hear him talk sometimes. 

Keanu Reeves – Bram Stoker's Dracula

Keanu Reeves is an icon, but let's be real, some of his acting performances in the past haven't been the best. The most glaring example is his performance in Bram Stoker's Dracula. It's a stilled example of an English accent that comes across as really unconfident. He's much better in the John Wick movies, to say the least. 

Don Cheadle – Ocean's Eleven

Don Cheadle is one of the best actors in Hollywood and is proof that even the best get it wrong sometimes. His cockney accent in Ocean's Eleven is brutal. In a way, it can be excused, as everyone in the movie is just chewing the scenery the whole time, but still, you expect more. Especially because we've all seen him do amazing accents like in Hotel Rwanda, a movie so good you never want to see it again. 

Daniel Craig - Knives Out

This one might get some pushback from fans – and I am a huge fan of Daniel Craig and Knives Out – but the accent is distracting. Cajun accents are tough, so for even attempting it, Craig gets credit, but he's been much better at other accents, like his straight southern accent in Lucky Logan. 

Kevin Costner – Thirteen Days

Thirteen Days is one of the best movies about the Cold War we've ever seen, but Kevin Costner's Boston accent isn't what makes it great. Costner's performance outshines the accent, but it's still pretty distracting, as it's way off. Boston accents are hard to do, so we'll forgive him. 

Tom Cruise – Far And Away

Another one of the most notorious accents in Hollywood history is Tom Cruise's attempt at an Irish accent in Far And Away. The movie itself is a lot better than its reputation would have you believe, but Cruise, one of the biggest movie stars of the last few decades, has a rough go of it. He's not alone in that, either. 

John Malkovich – Rounders

John Malkovich's career is filled with amazing, and often over-the-top performances. Maybe his most over-the-top is that of the Russian "KGB" in Rounders. His accent is presumably supposed to be Russian, but wow, who knows what it really is? It's wild, that's for sure. He even joked to co-star Matt Damon that he is a "terrible actor," which, of course, is false, even here. 

Brad Pitt – Meet Joe Black

This one is on the list because it's a popular choice as one of the worst ever, but I'm here to defend it...sort of. His Cajun patois is not great, that's true, but, for one, that's a really hard accent to nail, and some have defended it. It also could be argued that it fits his character to not quite understand how to speak normally, as he talks about in other parts of the film. Pitt gets a pass here. 

Mickey Rooney – Breakfast At Tiffany's

In one of the most indefensible roles in the history of Hollywood, Mickey Rooney's bad accent is actually the least offensive part. You can argue about 1961 being a different time, but it wasn't that different, and having Rooney play an offensive caricature of a Japanese man was called out even at the time for how offensive it was. 

Julia Roberts – Michael Collins

The beloved Julia Roberts has been in some of the best movies of the last 30 years. Michael Collins isn't a bad movie, but it's also not among Roberts' best films. While she can usually be counted on for great performances, her Irish accent here misses the mark. 

Anne Hathaway – One Day

Anne Hathaway is an Oscar winner for good reason. She's consistently great in her movies, and in roles that range from rom-coms to comic supervillains. In One Day, she adopts a British accent...sort of. It's not bad when she nails it, but it's wildly inconsistent. 

Brad Pitt - Seven Years in Tibet

Seven Years In Tibet is an underrated movie in my opinion. In all honesty, I don't know if Brad Pitt's accent is truly bad, or if it's just really annoying. I tend to think it's a combo of both. Her performance otherwise is great, and the movie's visuals are stunning, making it well worth suffering through the iffy accent. 

Jack Nicholson – The Departed

This is one that might get some pushback, but I think Jack Nicholson's Boston accent in The Departed is terrible. Given all the great accents in the movie, some by Boston natives, some not, this one really sticks out as not being all that great. Nicholson is awesome as the menacing Frank Costello, but he should have just played it straight. 

Angelina Jolie – Alexander

Okay, what in the ancient world is going on here? Angelina Jolie's accent in Alexander is just wild. It's sort of Greek, sure, but we're not even sure what the ancient Greeks sounded like, so why even go here with this acting choice? Jolie is a wonderful actor and director, but this is not her finest moment. 

Emma Watson – The Bling Ring

Emma Watson's biggest accent sin in The Bling Ring is how inconsistent it is. Maybe the hardest part for an actor is staying consistent, but this one still needs to be highlighted here. A Valley Girl, Watson is not. 

Ewan McGregor – Black Hawk Down

Black Hawk Down has an amazing cast, many of whom are not American, all playing American servicemen. To be honest, all the accents in the movie, from Orlando Bloom, Tom Hardy, and others are a little dicey. It probably isn't fair to only call out Ewan McGregor, but it's not his finest work, either. 

Kevin Costner – Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

What can be said here? It's the bad accent that beats them all. Kevin Costner's accent (or sometimes lack of) in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves has been knocked ad nauseam over the years and there isn't much more to say about it. It's not just poor, it's not even there sometimes. 

Cameron Diaz – Gangs Of New York

Let's be clear, Cameron Diaz is not alone with her poor accent in Gangs of New York. Leonardo DiCaprio isn't at his best, either. It's maybe a little more striking in Diaz's case though. It's hard though, when you are going up with Daniel Day-Lewis, who probably spent months and months perfecting his American accent for the role.  

Blake Lively – The Town

If you're not from Boston, it had be a deceptively difficult accent to master. It's not as simple as dropping the Rs, though that is hard to do consistently also. It's also the long vowels and other more nuanced parts of the accent that make it very tricky. Blake Lively is great in The Town, but her accent leaves a lot to be desired. 

Vanessa Hudgens – The Princess Switch

In one of the weirder choices on this list, Vanessa Hudgens decided to go with what is ostensively a British accent in The Princess Switch when she easily could have just gone with her regular accent. Sure, she needed to differentiate herself from...herself as she was also playing the other role in the movie in this Parent Trap-like movie, but still, she was a princess of a fictional country, the accent could have been anything 

Scarlett Johansson – Don Jon

Scarlett Johansson is from New York, and is an excellent actor. That's why it's such a surprise that she missed with a New Jersey accent in Don Jon. Once again, it's an example of a great performance losing a point or two because of the dodgy accent.

Jared Leto – House Of Gucci

Most of the actors in House Of Gucci struggle a little with the Italian accents. Jared Leto, however, sounds like a cartoon character. It's more like Mario than Paolo Gucci. I give him props for trying, heck I give them all props for trying, but it just doesn't work. 

Mel Gibson – Braveheart

I have a lot of problems with Braveheart. The history is notoriously poor, and the acting by Mel Gibson is so over the top, that it's comical, hence all the memes, right? Often lost in that is how sketchy Gibson's Scottish accent is in the movie. 

Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained

Quentin Tarantino is arguably the best director of the last 30 years with nine (or ten, depending on how you count Kill Bill) great movies out of nine directed. Django Unchained is no exception, but you can't excuse the Australian accent Tarantino tries to pull off in his acting role in the movie. It's not good - and it's not like he's a bad actor, either. 

Harrison Ford - K-19: The Widowmaker

With all due respect to the Gods of the 1970s and '80s, I don't want to besmirch the great Harrison Ford. Sadly, I have to for his messy attempt at a Russian accent in K-19: The Widowmaker. We all love Ford's gruff voice, but it's better when he sticks with his natural accent. 

Nicole Kidman – Far And Away

Tom Cruise gets a lot of gruff for his Irish accent in Far and Away, but that shouldn't distract from Nicole Kidman's sketchy work. The Aussie struggles as much as the American in the film. 

Alan Rickman - The Butler

Alan Rickman, who is one of my favorite actors ever and responsible for some amazing performances, has one of his most uneven in The Butler as President Ronald Reagan. It's not just the accent, though that is part of it. He speaks weirdly softly and it feels like a shallow performance, which was unlike Rickman, most of the time.  

Michael Caine - On Deadly Ground

The great Michael Caine has but one accent – the Michael Caine Accent. It's so iconic, that it's as imitated as Christopher Walken's. When he gets away from it, it gets a little bizarre, as it does in On Deadly Ground. Now, the semi-retired Caine is co-starring in a Steven Seagal movie, so you can't blame him for really going over the top, even if he misses. 

Brad Pitt – The Devil's Own

In The Devil's Own, Brad Pitt makes a go at an Irish accent. I'll always applaud Pitt for going for tougher roles, but he really does struggle with accents, and here is no exception. It is distracting, but I appreciate that he goes for it. 

Jennifer Lawrence – Red Sparrow

As the winner of one Oscar and owner of three more nominations, Jennifer Lawrence is clearly one of the best actresses so far in the 21st Century. Red Sparrow is not her best work though. The movie is surprisingly boring, and her Russian accent, while far from the worst here, is in and out throughout the whole film. 

Ana De Armas – Blonde

Make no mistake, Ana De Armas made a bold decision to play not only an American actress but one whose voice is very familiar to movie fans everywhere, Marilyn Monroe. Blonde was a challenging choice for the Cuban actress and for that she should be celebrated, but when the brass tacks were down, her accent was not the best part of her performance. 

Charlie Hunnam – Green Street Hooligans

If you want to understand how hard accents can be, look no further than Englishman Charlie Hunnam's attempt at a cockney accent in Green Street Hooligans. While Hunnam is English, he's from Newcastle, not East London, and boy does it show. Hunnam was decent doing an American accent in Sons of Anarchy, but he doesn't kill the cockney accent here, in fact, he's so inconsistent it's distracting in an otherwise super fun cult classic. 

Spoilers ahead for the series premiere of A Gentleman in Moscow, called "A Master of Circumstance."

Ewan McGregor is back on the small screen for his first TV leading role since Obi-Wan Kenobi back in 2022, and I knew just enough about A Gentleman in Moscow based on its trailers for the 2024 TV schedule that I felt pretty confident before tuning in that there wouldn't be much of Obi-Wan in his new character. So, imagine my surprise when I watched the premiere of Showtime's newest series and found myself flashing back to the iconic Star Wars Jedi while watching McGregor playing Count Alexander Rostov in 1920s post-Revolution Russia!

Before we get into the unexpected Star Wars vibes in this new project, let's look at what went down in "A Master of Circumstance" when McGregor wasn't so much in a galaxy far, far away as much as trapped in one place.

What Happened In A Gentleman In Moscow's Series Premiere

As an adaptation of Amor Towles’ best-selling novel of the same name, A Gentleman in Moscow had a lot of exposition and world-building to do in the first episode of the eight-part limited series. Ewan McGregor's Alexander Rostov was established as a Russian noble from the era of the tsars who managed to escape execution by the Soviets due to a poem attributed to him from years later. His house had been burned down, however, and he was sentenced to house arrest in a hotel seemingly so glamorous on the surface that it's easy to miss the oppressive undertones at first.

McGregor put in a strong performance as a nobleman trying to maintain his gentlemanly status in impossible situations, down to keeping the wings on his mustache intact. In a slightly silly moment made much less silly by eventual tragedy, his mustache being clipped was the last straw for Alexander to agree to try and escape the country with his friend on forged papers. A Gentleman in Moscow wouldn't be much of a show if the gentleman escaped Moscow in the series premiere, however, and his friend Petrov was shot and killed for the forgeries while Alexander couldn't do anything but stay inside the walls of the hotel.

The one bright spot in Alexander's life seems to be a little girl by the name of Nina, who we can count on surviving the events of the series thanks to her status as narrator looking back from years later. There's also a spark of resistance still within Alexander, as he seized his opportunity while in the hotel manager's office to see if a pair of pistols that had been stashed long ago were still there. The guns were indeed still stashed behind a painting, and my only disappointment in the scene was that the hotel manager's name wasn't Chekhov.

This was only the beginning of Alexander's story, and while the pacing of the first episode could be a bit monotonous at times, that seemed to be the point. Seeing the monotony behind what otherwise would seem like a pretty endurable and gilded house arrest sets the stage for what I have to assume will be an eventful seven episodes to come.

And despite all of this taking place in the Soviet Union in the 1920s, the Force was evidently with me while watching, because seeing Alexander's journey in this show's series premiere (available streaming via Paramount+ subscription with Showtime) had me thinking back to Obi-Wan Kenobi's.

Why I Was Getting Obi-Wan Kenobi Vibes

While a limited series set in the Soviet Union in the early 20th century may seem like a long time ago in a political galaxy far, far away, I can't overstate how much I wasn't expecting to see Alexander Rostov and think about Obi-Wan Kenobi when I sat down for the first episode of A Gentleman in Moscow. Sure, Ewan McGregor is the leading man in both, but I wasn't exactly thinking of Obi-Wan when McGregor starred in Fargo Season 3. So, why A Gentleman in Moscow?

Well, the the snowy Soviet Union post-Revolution portrayed in the show isn't exactly the opposite end of the spectrum from the sands of Tatooine when it comes to sheer desolation, and that was only the first way that the new book adaptation had me flashing back to Star Wars. To be clear – Alexander in the first episode of A Gentleman in Moscow wasn't making me think of Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan in the prequel film trilogy or Obi-Wan as portrayed by Alec Guinness in the original trilogy.

No, I was specifically thinking of the character in the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show, currently available to Disney+ subscribers and set when the defeated hero of The Clone Wars was in very reduced circumstances, far from the life he used to lead and the company he used to keep.

Alexander in A Gentleman in Moscow living in a world ruled by people who would happily execute him for who he is? Obi-Wan circa Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars timeline knew a thing or two about that. Alexander having to watch an innocent man previously of the same social standing be murdered, unable to do anything about it? That would be Obi-Wan's life on Tatooine before Bail Organa dropped by the desert planet with a mission for him.

Even Alexander having to give up the earthly possessions that meant so much to him was comparable to Obi-Wan having to bury his lightsaber, and Ewan McGregor opened up to CinemaBlend about that plot point in his Star Wars series.

And Alexander bonding with a cute little girl who seems bound to get him into trouble, seemingly with a complicated relationship with her dad? That just about makes me want to rewatch Obi-Wan Kenobi just for Obi-Wan's adventures with young Leia all over again. And I'm not saying that the bearded Soviet soldier with a vendetta against Alexander (and who wouldn't reveal his name) is the A Gentleman in Moscow version of Reva, but I won't rule it out. The Soviet regime as presented in the new show isn't exactly dissimilar to the Imperials in the Disney+ series.

I also don't really expect to see parallels between Ewan McGregor's two characters on a weekly basis as A Gentleman in Moscow continues releasing new episodes, but it was a fun way to get invested in the star's new show. New episodes of the series will continue airing on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime, but will be available a few days earlier with Friday releases streaming via Paramount+ with Showtime.

Hollywood is truly a small world. You never know which actors competed against each other to play some of the most iconic movie characters. But every time I learn something new, like that Jason Statham was wanted to play Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders instead of Cillian Murphy or that Sebastian Stan wanted the Captain America role, I’m totally flabbergasted. Now, I’m shocked once again after Road House actor Jake Gyllenhaal talked about a few movies he was being considered for with stiff competition, including The Dark Knight and the chance to wear the Batsuit.

Gyllenhaal oozed nothing but positivity, good vibes, and dedication to his craft while talking to Howard Stern. When he spoke about going for Batman, he got real about how serious it was for him as he had aced all the initial auditions. Surprisingly, he also revealed that he had the same feelings while auditioning for the role of Christian in Moulin Rouge against Heath Ledger and Ewan McGregor. As he put it to Stern:

Stern mentioned that not getting those roles had to “shake” his confidence, but Gyllenhaal admitted that was never the case. In fact, he said that while he was disappointed, he had too much to be proud of to really get hung up about the rejections. He explained that:

As he continued, all I could notice was that he's all about self-love and celebrating the good things that happened. He got a bit more insightful and explained that he took those as opportunities to really be proud of his skills, the talent others saw in him to even be considered, and understand that other roles would work out. And, honestly, I really dig how he’s all about seeing the glass as half full. He said:

Gyllenhaal still has an extensive CV of fan-favorite movies that is more than impressive. He’s played a wide range of characters including Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist who becomes obsessed with the famed murderer in Zodiac. And, of course, I can’t forget Donnie Darko and his iconic cowboy role alongside Ledger in Brokeback Mountain.

Most recently, he’s taken on the lead role in the Road House remake, playing Elwood Dalton, a former UFC fighter who ends up working in a bar in Florida. In this one, Gyllenhaal is the highlight in a world that’s all about beautiful beaches and brute strength. It's gotten mixed reviews on Rotten Tomatoes so far.

Even though we didn’t get to see Jake Gyllenhaal go up against Ledger’s Joker or pine for Satine’s love, the good news is that his future on screen is seemingly limitless. There’s been ongoing chatter about him being the next caped crusader, and while he hasn’t confirmed or denied, he said it would be an honor. He’s also starring in another upcoming action movie by Guy Ritchie, along with playing Iago in Othello on stage. So, we’re going to see a lot more of him in the next few years, and I’m totally excited for that.

You can check out Gyllenhaal’s latest action flick, Road House, with an Amazon Prime subscription. With it, you can also watch some of his other hits like Nightcrawler and End of Watch.

The Star Wars family includes a number of beloved stars, from Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford to Katee Sackhoff and Daisy Ridley. Those fans of the prequel films seem to have a particularly high level of affection for Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor, who played Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, respectively. That’s why so many were thrilled when they appeared together on screen in the latter character’s eponymous limited series (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription) back in 2022. More recently, the two actors reunited while appearing at a recent convention, and there are some sweet photos from the event that capture their meet-up. 

Many notable actors were present at MEGACON Orlando 2024 last week and were able to interact with their various fans. While those interactions (many of which were chronicled on social media) were certainly lovely, I can’t get over the reunion between Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor. Both appeared at a Q&A session that was held during the Con, and there were plenty of fans present to see them. Check out the image below, which shows the two men warmly embracing each other while on stage:

I mean, why couldn’t Revenge of the Sith end like that? Well, as someone who’s watched the Star Wars movies in order, I guess I know why it couldn’t conclude in such a manner. That aside though, the photo above definitely gets me in my feelings, and I imagine those who were actually in attendance also felt a way upon seeing the actors together. Check out another image of them from the panel: 

Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen first started working together within the galaxy far, far away in 2002's Episode II – Attack of the Clones. They would then reprise their respective roles in the 2005 follow-up flick, the aforementioned Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. While a number of people may have their critiques when it comes to the prequels, many seem to enjoy the camaraderie between Christensen’s Anakin and McGregor’s Obi-Wan. That was probably helped along by the fact that the stars themselves forged a firm bond off camera. 

So they were both excited when they reunited for Obi-Wan Kenobi, and that reaction actually left Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy “surprised.” Based on sentiments they shared during the show’s run and afterwards, the actors seemed to relish their time working together again. Hayden Christensen found it cool to wear his Anakin costume again and, after some very light hesitation, got used to working on a Star Wars production without George Lucas. Christensen was also returned as Skywalker for Ahsoka, which brought him back together with Rosario Dawson, with whom he has a personal connection.

As for whether the Anakin actor or Ewan McGregor will return to the storied sci-fi franchise, that remains to be seen. One would hope that they might reprise their famous characters at some point in the future. And, if that doesn’t happen, I’ll certainly relish any moment in which they lovingly reunite at a public event like this latest Con.

You can see the two actors don their lightsabers by streaming the Skywalker Saga films on Disney+ Also, be sure you stay in the know when it comes to upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

The Star Wars franchise is still one of the biggest, and most successful, names in the history of cinema, despite the fact that for every movie that fans adore, there is likely at least one more that they really don’t like. While the original Star Wars trilogy is iconic, the prequels, when they were first released, were not met with the same level of adoration, which Ewan McGregor admits was tough, especially since they weren’t done.

Star Wars: The Phanom Menace was a box office juggernaut. The first Star Wars movie in over a decade was always going to be a blockbuster, but once people had actually seen it there was a bit less love for the film. While not everybody hated The Phantom Menace, it perhaps wasn’t exactly what fans had been expecting, and fans especially were hard on the film. McGregor’s performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi was generally seen as one of the film’s highlights, but the actor tells Variety that the early criticism was tough because they still had to go back and make more of them.

Prior to getting into Star Wars Ewan McGregor had mostly been in independent films. He’d been in some critically acclaimed projects, like Trainspotting. But even if a movie wasn’t beloved, it didn’t receive a massive amount of criticism. That certainly changed when he became part of this massive franchise where everybody was going to have an opinion on the new Star Wars movie. And going into film sequels probably didn't feel great after the way the first movie was received.

In the years since the Star Wars prequels have been reevaluated, and while they might not be seen as the best movies ever, they are generally seen as more positive than they once were. If you watch the Star Wars movies in order, you at least get through some of the rough stuff early. If nothing else, McGregor’s role as Obi-Wan is beloved, so much so that he eventually returned to it, after years of fans asking for more.

Fans are still asking for more Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan. For his [part the actor would be more than willing if they decide to do a second series of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+, but he says there’s been no movement on such a thing…

This is in line with what Joel Edgerton recently said about an Obi-Wan Season 2. There are certainly a lot of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows coming both to Disney+ and big screens. Another season of Obi-Wan would likely be a long way off if it happens at all, but we’ll have to wait and see.  

While Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Hera Syndulla of Ahsoka have not crossed paths in the Star Wars universe, the pair of actors are quite well acquainted. They reportedly met on the set of Fargo’s third season and began dating before they tied the knot in 2022. The couple share a two-year-old son named Laurie who apparently is already massively into Star Wars. Even though his favorite character isn’t necessarily one of his parents’, he chose a pretty solid number one in the franchise. 

Mary Elizabeth Winstead opened up about Laurie’s connections with Star Wars already, sharing that he already has Star Wars gifts and action figures “peppered around” the house, and a Star Wars T-shirt collection that “sort of naturally just happened.” And, in her words: 

While speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Winstead shared that one of the first places Laurie actually went to as a newborn was the set of Obi-Wan Kenobi, which Winstead would often visit while McGregor was shooting the Disney+ series in mid-2021, just as Laurie came into the world. The actress also shared that she actually thinks she ended up in the Star Wars universe as a part of the Ahsoka cast after getting to know Star Wars filmmaker Deborah Chow during these set visits. 

As the actress also shared, Laurie’s favorite Star Wars character right now is Grogu, aka “Baby Yoda.” I mean, how can that cute green guy not be the best thing in the world at the age of two? Winstead continued: 

Once Laurie understands he’s the son of two Star Wars actors, his mind is going to explode! Winstead joined Star Wars in 2022 as Rebel general Hera Syndulla after previously sharing the space with her husband on two former projects. Along with the couple meeting on Fargo, they also ended up both being characters in DC’s Birds of Prey. Winstead played Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress in the movie, and McGregor played the 2020 film’s villain, Roman Sionis, a.k.a. Black Mask. 

Before becoming husband and wife, the couple were both previously married to other people. In 2017, McGregor separated from his wife of 22 years, Eve Mavrakis, and in that same year, Winstead’s marriage with filmmaker Riley Stearns ended after seven years as a married couple. Ah, the winding road to become a Star Wars couple! 

It sounds like Winstead and McGregor are embracing their son being into the universe. You can check out both actors in their respective shows set in a galaxy far, far away now streaming with a Disney+ subscription, and stay updated with more upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows here on CinemaBlend. 

The Toronto International Film Festival is currently underway, with a number of highly anticipated movies getting their world premieres. Quite a few filmmakers are making their directorial debut this year, like actress Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour. Another director who is debuting their first feature length movie is Niclas Larsson, who wrote and directed the new dramedy Mother, Couch. The movie stars Ewan McGregor, who gives an excellent performance, but WTF did I just watch?

Mother, Couch had its world premiere today at TIFF, and I was lucky enough to be in attendance for that very first showing. In addition to starring as the lead role David, Ewan McGregor is also an executive producer on the project. Unfortunately the ongoing strikes stopped the cast from attending the premiere event, although Larsson was there to kick the movie off. I just wish I understood more about what I watched throughout its 96-minute runtime.

The movie is based off the novel Mamma i soffa, and centers around three siblings (McGregor, Rhys Ifans, Lara Flynn Boyle) who share the same mother, but have different fathers. When their mother (Exorcist icon Ellen Burstyn) sits on a couch at a furniture store and refuses to move or leave, the three estranged siblings try to get together to handle the situation, which soon devolves into surreal chaos.

While Mother, Couch starts off as a quirky movie set in reality, that’s far from where it ends up throughout its runtime. Around halfway through, the movie leans heavily on the bizarre, and I found it a pretty confusing moviegoing experience to try and follow. The furniture store the family stays in begins changing and transforming, with time seemingly moving in the process. It’s hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t, although things go into full chaos in the third act.

Despite my confusion, I was truly taken by Ewan McGregor’s work as David. He played comedic beats to pitch perfection, and he served as an envoy for the audience to get caught up in Niclas Larsson’s wild story. And in the movie’s more serious moments he truly shines, achieving an emotionality I haven’t seen since the finale of Moulin Rouge. 

The bizarre and confusing nature of Mother, Couch actually reminded me of another surreal movie with a similar title: Darren Aronofsky’s Mother!. I felt similarly lost during my first viewing of that Jennifer Lawrence-led movie, which was an allegory about mother nature. Like that movie there’s a deeper message to McGregor's new movie, one I won’t spoil here. After all, the movie seems purposefully confusing, eventually offering some clarity in its final scenes. Although I personally didn’t find it enough of a payoff after the previous 90 minutes or so. 

Aside from McGregor’s performance, there are some visually striking moments, and it’s clear that Niclas Larsson had a very specific vision for the movie. Ellen Burstyn also offers a great performance as Mother, prior to her upcoming return to horror with The Exorcist: Believer (see the trailer here). Another standout is White Lotus’ F. Murray Abraham, who is a scene stealer during his appearances.

It’s currently unclear when Mother, Couch will get its wide theatrical release. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

At long last, the dream of many Constant Readers may actually come true. Stephen King fans have been waiting patiently for years to see Hollywood produce a proper live-action adaptation of The Dark Tower series, and the first steps towards making that happen have been taken: Mike Flanagan and Trevor May’s Intrepid Pictures has acquired the rights to the books and are planning an adaptation as a five-season television series that is followed by a pair of feature films. As of right now we have no idea how quickly the project will come together or where it will be developed… but that’s not going to stop us from already imagining who will play all of the major characters.

Of course, when it comes to fantasy casting The Dark Tower one has to start with Roland Deschain. Idris Elba did a serviceable job playing the part in the truly terrible 2017 movie, but if we’re discussing a live-action version of the character that is more faithful to the Stephen King books, Hollywood has a number of great options to choose from. The majority of them would have to sport a pair of blue contact lenses, but here are eight actors we’d love to see play the Gunslinger in Mike Flanagan’s The Dark Tower.

Timothy Olyphant

This isn’t a ranked list, but I will unequivocally say that Timothy Olyphant is my top choice to play Roland Deschain. As proven many times over the course of his career, he can rock the hell out of a Stetson, and he’s an ace when it comes to characters with grizzle and dark swagger. His role as “Spirit of the West” in Rango directly affirmed that he has the Man With No Name energy, and that is ultimately what the performance will need. This is the role he was born to play.

Javier Bardem

Over a decade ago, Javier Bardem was cast as Roland Deschain in the Dark Tower movie that Ron Howard was set to direct, and while that didn’t end up becoming a thing, it’s a casting choice that has aged well. His on-screen presence remains as commanding and powerful as ever, and it really only works better for the part that he is older (take note that all of the actors on this list are 50 and over). His stature and demeanor has led him to deliver amazing villainous turns in his career, but he could use them in a very different and incredible way playing Roland.

Ewan McGregor

Ten years ago I probably wouldn’t have included Ewan McGregor as a potential candidate to play Roland Deschain, but his work since then has changed my attitude. Admittedly a big part of this is Doctor Sleep, which sees McGregor deliver and dark and powerful performance working in collaboration with Mike Flanagan, but I’ll also throw some credit to seeing him stoically wind-beaten in the desert playing the titular role in the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series. My only question mark about his ability to play the character would be his voice – which he would have to deepen and erase his accent from.

Hugh Jackman

Assuming that Hugh Jackman’s run as Wolverine will actually come to an end with his role in the upcoming Deadpool 3, the actor is in a position to take on a new character that will define a new era of his career, and Roland Deschain could be a brilliant fit. Gunslinger vibes can be clearly registered from his performance in Logan, and he’s consistently shown throughout his career that he can play a blend of grit and ultimate warmth that the character needs.

Karl Urban

Between Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Dredd, Thor: Ragnarok, and The Boys, Karl Urban’s genre cred is beyond reproach, but starring as Roland Deschain in Mike Flanagan’s The Dark Tower series could be the icing on the cake. He has an intimidating screen presence that the character needs, and he is capable of the necessary quiet charisma.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Jeffrey Dean Morgan is another actor who is cut from the Clint Eastwood cloth, and has the tough and gruff standing for the part. His time as Negan on The Walking Dead has come to an end, and, like with Hugh Jackman and Wolverine, it could be the next role that takes him into the next phase of his career. He has both the gravitas and subtle emotional range that the turn would need – from letting Jake Chambers fall to his death to continue his pursuit of the tower, to embracing Jake, Eddie, Susannah, and Oy as his family.

Josh Brolin

Between playing Cable, Thanos, Gurney Halleck, and more, Josh Brolin’s resume is already stacked with standout pop culture characters, but that’s not going to stop me from suggesting that he could be an excellent Roland Deschain (and he’s never actually been in a Stephen King adaptation before). From No Country For Old Men to True Grit to Outer Range, there is no questioning that the man is a snug fit for the western genre, and it’s effortless to imagine him playing any scene from any of the Dark Tower books. He has the stature and demeanor that the role requires in all facets.

Denzel Washington

While we’re having this discussion, we might as well take some big shots, right? At the present age of 67, Denzel Washington is admittedly considerably older than all of the actors on this list, but that doesn’t actually matter in the discussion of a relatively ageless character, and he obviously has the necessary gravitas for the part. Unlike a lot of his contemporaries, Washington has not yet brought his talents to the modern television landscape, but The Dark Tower could be an awesome fit.

Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend as Mike Flanagan’s The Dark Tower hopefully continues to take steps to get closer and closer to becoming a reality. You can keep track of all Stephen King projects that are in the works with our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide, and learn about the long history of adaptations with my weekly Adapting Stephen King column.

Every once in a while, there comes a movie I am so hyped for that I literally count down the days until it gets here. For a long time, it was the Harry Potter series. Then I started to convert that energy to movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But as I’ve gotten older, I also have that same energy for a certain filmmaker whenever he releases a new project, and that’s Guillermo del Toro. 

A master of fantasy and horror, del Toro is one of my idols in the movie world, and someone I truly look up to in terms of what I believe is a great moviemaker. And now, he’s coming out with a new film on Netflix, his adaptation of Pinocchio that he’s been working on for years. And let me tell you – the cast is stacked. 

From people who have appeared in several del Toro movies before, to brand new actors, here is where you might have seen (or heard) the Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio cast before. 

Ewan McGregor - Sebastion J. Cricket

First up on the list, we have Ewan McGregor, who plays Sebastian J. Cricket in Pinocchio, and McGregor has been around in the business for years. Most people might know McGregor from his role as Obi-Wan in the Star Wars franchise, a role he reprised in 2022 in the Disney+ original series, Obi-Wan Kebobi, but McGregor has done so much more in the world of movies and television that you might know. 

For example, McGregor has an amazing voice, and he performed in the movie musical Moulin Rouge!. He’s also appeared in many other films, including Big Fish, Trainspotting (and its sequel), Black Hawk Down, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, The Ghost Writer, Angels and Demons, Christopher Robin, and more. He was also in Birds of Prey, as well as the Stephen King adaptation, Doctor Sleep. In terms of voice-acting, he played Lumiere in the 2017 live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, and was the main protagonist in the film, Robots. 

McGregor hasn’t done as much on television, but his starring roles are significant. He played two of the main characters in the third season of Fargo, and starred in Halston, for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award. 

David Bradley - Geppetto

Gepetto is the man, the myth, the legend in Pinocchio who creates the titular boy, and he is voiced by David Bradley. Another of Hollywood's familiar faces, Bradley has been around in the industry for a long time. Some of his biggest roles include playing Filch in the Harry Potter franchise, as well as Lord Walder Frey in Game of Thrones, but he’s done so much more. 

Some of his biggest movies include The Intended, Harry Brown, The Young Messiah, Jolt, and others. In television, he worked with del Toro before in the animated series Tales of Arcadia, but has appeared in many other shows, like The Strain, Mount Pleasant, After Life, and Thieves Like Us, among other guest appearances. 

Gregory Mann - Pinocchio And Carlo

Of course, we have to have Pinocchio in Pinocchio, and he is voiced by Gregory Mann, who also voices Carlo in Pinocchio. Gregory Mann is a relative newcomer to Hollywood, with his only credit thus far being in the 2019 version of Cats, but I’m sure that as time goes on, you’ll get to see him more and more. 

Burn Gorman - Priest

Moving on, we take a look at Burn Gorman, who plays Priest in Pinocchio. Like many of the cast members on this list, he has been in many movies and TV shows – and has worked with Guillermo del Toro in the past. Gorman was a part of the Pacific Rim movies, and had a role in Crimson Peak. Some of his other films that you might have seen him in include The Dark Knight Rises, Fred Claus, Watcher, Enola Holmes, and Imperium. 

Gorman has also had a very recognizable career in television, appearing in shows such as Torchwood, Turn: Washington’s Spies on AMC, as well as The Man in the High Castle on Amazon. He also appeared in the Halo series on Paramount, was a part of The Offer cast, and was in The Expanse. Truly, all over the map, this one. 

Ron Perlman - Podesta

Next up is Ron Perlman, who plays Podesta in Pinocchio. Perlman is another actor who has done so much in the world of movies and TV, but he’s also a really good voice actor, too - with almost too many roles to even talk about. My personal favorite is when he voiced the Stabbington brothers in Tangled. 

Other than that, Perlman has made a lot of films. Some of his biggest roles are in the 2021 movie, Don’t Look Up, Drive, the Hellboy films, Alien: Resurrection, Quest for Fire, and several more. Perlman is also a frequent collaborator with del Toro, and has appeared in many of his movies, including Cronos, Blade II, Nightmare Alley, and Pacific Rim. 

In television, he had a main role in the Beauty and the Beast TV series, and was a big character on the popular FX drama, Sons of Anarchy. 

John Turturro - Doctore

Moving on, we take a look at John Turturro, who voices Doctore in Pinocchio. Another major player in the world of Hollywood, Turturro has appeared in many movies, including Do The Right Thing, Five Corners, The Big Lebowski, The Jesus Rolls, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the Transformers film series, and even 2022’s The Batman. 

In terms of television, most recently, Turturro took a role on the popular Apple TV+ series, Severance, but has appeared in many other shows including Monk, The Night Of and The Plot Against America. 

Finn Wolfhard - Candlewick

Candlewick in Pinocchio is played by Finn Wolfhard, someone who really got his start in Hollywood by playing Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things, a role he has continued to play to this day and will continue to do so in Season 5 of the show. However, Wolfhard has also appeared in several movies during his career so far, including the IT films, The Goldfinch, Ghostbusters: Afterlife (which is getting a sequel) and The Addams Family animated film. His career is still so new – but I’m sure we’ll be seeing a whole lot more of him as time goes on. 

Cate Blanchett - Spazzatura

Another star on this list, Cate Blanchett voices Spazzatura in Pinocchio. I could go on for hours about Blanchett and how brilliant of an actress she is, but we’ll be swift and say that she’s appeared in many amazing movies. For a highlight of what she’s done and what you might have seen her in, she was in The Lord of the Rings franchise as Galadriel, Elizabeth and its sequel, Hamlet, The Aviator, Blue Jasmine, Carol, Notes On A Scandal, and so many others. 

Blanchett also voiced a main character in the How To Train Your Dragon franchise, and was a part of many other recent films, too, such as Nightmare Alley, Cinderella, Ocean’s 8, and Thor: Ragnarok, where she played Hela, Thor’s sister. 

The actress has also appeared in a few television shows as well, such as Heartland, Stateless, and the miniseries, Mrs. America, but movies are where she frequently shines. And, I can’t wait to see what she does with this role. 

Tim Blake Nelson - Black Rabbits

Tim Blake Nelson voices Black Rabbits in Pinocchio, and Nelson has been in the business for some time. He’s worked on many films including Minority Report, Lincoln, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Syriana, Old Henry, and, like many others on this list, Nightmare Alley. And that’s just a highlight of some of his best. 

Nelson has also done some work in television. Most recently, in 2022, he was a part of the cast for Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, but he’s also worked on shows such as Watchmen and Lost Ollie. 

Christoph Waltz - Count Volpe

Christoph Waltz is a name I’m sure many of us are familiar with, since he’s such an amazing actor, and of course, he’s voicing Count Volpe in Pinocchio. Waltz has done so much in the industry. He’s primarily known for his breakout role in the Quentin Tarantino film, Inglorious Bastards, but has appeared in many other movies, including Django Unchained, Carnage, The French Dispatch, Spectre, and No Time To Die. He was also in Downsizing. 

Waltz has also done some work in television as well. While he primarily appeared on German television shows for many years, he’s also had guest appearances on American shows like Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, and had a role in Most Dangerous Game. 

Tilda Swinton - Wood Sprite And Death 

Last but not least, we have Tilda Swinton, who voices both the Wood Sprite and Death in Pinocchio. Swinton is certainly a star of Hollywood, and has appeared in many, many films where you might have seen her. Some of her best include Orlando, Caravaggio, The Last of England, War Requiem, Young Adam, Julia, Constantine, We Need To Talk About Kevin, The Chronicles of Narnia series, and so many more. 

She’s also appeared in several Wes Anderson movies, including The Grand Budapest Hotel, The French Dispatch, and Moonrise Kingdom. She also portrayed the Ancient One in Doctor Strange and Avengers: Endgame. In television, she’s had guest appearances on shows such as What We Do In The Shadows, Getting On, and What If…?

Truly, a cast of stars is here and they are bringing it in Pinocchio. And who knows? You just might have found a new show or movie to fixate on starring these incredible actors. So many amazing projects to pick from – where will you start? 

Pinocchio is getting a lot of attention from filmmakers this year. Just a couple of months after Disney+ released its live-action remake starring Tom Hanks as Geppetto the woodcarver, famed director Guillermo del Toro has joined forces with Mark Gustafson to debut his stop-motion animation film, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on October 15. Reviews for the live-action Pinocchio were less than stellar but, now, critics have had the chance to weigh in and add to what we know about del Toro’s Pinocchio ahead of its release to viewers who have a Netflix subscription.

Newcomer Gregory Mann voices the titular puppet that comes to life, and he’s surrounded by some heavy hitters in the Pinocchio cast, with Ewan McGregor voicing the role of the wise cricket and David Bradley (Harry Potter franchise and Game of Thrones) as Geppetto. They are joined by others including Cate Blanchett, Finn Wolfhard, Ron Perlman, Tilda Swinton and more. Pinocchio’s trailer showed off some gorgeous stop-motion animation, so let’s see what critics think of the finished product.

Ayomikun Adekaiyero of Insider says the musical numbers are disappointing, and the themes of war and death might be too dark for younger children. However, the directors have succeeded in spinning the classic story into an updated cautionary tale for parents, saying: 

Leslie Felperin of THR calls the film “perfectly imperfect,” noting that this remake puts back in some of the darker elements of the source material that was sanded down in the 1940 Disney animated film. Guillermo del Toro’s hand is felt in every frame of this movie, the critic says: 

Rafael Motamayor of IndieWire grades the movie an A, saying that the Oscar-winning director is able to take the oldest form of animation to new places and, like the movie itself, breathe life into inanimate objects. According to the review:  

Damon Wise of Deadline, however, says he wasn’t moved by the experience and feels the film maybe goes too heavy on the macabre. He argues: 

Nicholas Barber of The Wrap says the filmmaker celebrates disobedience in this passion project, which is comparable to his past works with its themes of death, grief and a misunderstood monster. He says:

The reviews seem to be mostly positive, as all of the critics are pointing out how much this story clearly meant to Guillermo del Toro. However, we still have a little while to wait before we can check out his adaptation. Pinocchio is set for release on Netflix on Friday, December 9. In the meantime, check out our 2022 movie release schedule to see what’s hitting theaters soon, or check out the best movies available on Netflix right now. 

As we all know, one of Ewan McGregor's best performances is playing the young poet Christian in Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge!. But did you know that Ethan Hawke could have been the one to show off his singing chops and star opposite Nicole Kidman? The Boyhood actor recalls the time he “crushed” his Moulin Rouge! audition before he lost out to Ewan McGregor.

Released in 2001, Moulin Rouge! is the star-crossed love story between a young English poet and a cabaret actress. To think that Ethan Hawke could have been part of the Moulin Rouge! cast singing “Come What May.” In an interview with ScreenRant, Hawke spoke about how he believed the audition for Moulin Rouge! was “one of the greatest screen tests of [his] life.” He explained:

cBoy, would I like to see that audition! The closest I’ve seen Ethan Hawke sing was in his Oscar-nominated performance in Boyhood as the aspiring musician father of the film’s young lead. Hawke actually wasn’t the only actor to lose out to the role of Christian. A little behind-the-scenes fact about Moulin Rouge! is that both Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger came close to landing the role. While Luhrmann praised the singing of both actors, they were both in their early 20s, which would have been too much of an age difference for the then-33-year-old. This creative director was going more for a Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman feel.

While it may have come off as disappointing for the Dead Poets Society actor not to nail the musical role, his career did not suffer. In fact, one of Hawke’s best performances that same year was in Training Day, where he received his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. I’m sure that Moulin Rouge! would have been a completely different movie if this Golden Globe nominee was in it. I just can't imagine him being able to have the same vocal range as McGregor, but then again, I'd need to see that audition footage for myself to know for sure. 

And then fate deals you a different hand when you’re set to work with your Moulin Rouge! competitor. McGregor and Hawke star together in the Apple TV+ movie Raymond and Ray, which is about two half-brothers with a complicated relationship reuniting at their father’s funeral. This comedy-drama had its world release at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival and will also be featured in the “World Cinema” section of the 27th Busan International Film Festival. So at least we know how Ethan Hawke could have channeled his character’s frustration just thinking about losing out to his co-star!

It looks like there’s no bad blood between Ethan Hawke and Ewan McGregor in real life. Both of these actors have had successful careers playing the roles that fate brought them. If you want to see these talented actors share the screen together for the first time, add Raymond and Ray to your watchlist on October 21st.

Picking up a lightsaber is no easy task for a Jedi or for the actor playing said Jedi. Ewan McGregor understood this from the get-go. Joining the Star Wars universe meant he wouldn’t be the independent movie guy anymore; he would be a blockbuster star. As a young actor, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to take on the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the iconic Jedi previously played by Alec Guinness. In fact, McGregor almost turned it down. 

After starring in Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting, McGregor wanted to be “urban grunge,” in that he wanted to be in edgy and independent movies. Then along came Star Wars. The actor spoke about this decision and his experiences as Obi-Wan on the podcast SmartLess. 

It’s understandable why Ewan McGregor was apprehensive about joining the cast. Just joining the Star Wars franchise makes you a household name. However, when you are taking on the younger version of an already iconic character, the expectations and attention are even higher. To make a life-changing decision like this takes time, and it makes sense that McGregor wasn’t so sure about it at first. 

While he may have gone from indie darling to household name when the first of the prequels came out in 1999, Ewan McGregor has still been in his fair share of independent and unique projects. Between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, one of McGregor’s best movies Moulin Rouge!, was released.  Then, in between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, he continued to say yes to a range of projects, like the rom-com Down With Love, the musical Big Fish and the animated movie Robots.

In the 20-ish years since the Star Wars prequels came out the audience reception was all over the place. McGregor thinks it’s because the critics were just disappointed it wasn’t like the Star Wars they grew up with. Despite this, the prequels still had a dedicated fan base, and McGregor always stood behind them. Eventually, he started being asked if he’d ever return to the role of Obi-Wan, and his answer was always yes. 

Now that yes has turned into the Disney+ show Obi-Wan Kenobi. The project was in development for years, and Ewan McGregor said that the moment everything really changed was when Disney decided to turn the project into a series. Following a successful first season the actor has said he would be down to do a second season of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

It feels like Ewan McGregor and the Star Wars fans are happy he decided to say “Hello, there” and not turn down the chance of a lifetime to play one of the most iconic Jedi.

Two of the juggernauts that continue to make news and history throughout entertainment are the Star Wars franchise and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With the former continuing to branch out on Disney+, and the latter slated to return with the upcoming movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, things aren’t going to be cooling down for either series in the near future. So what better time for Mark Ruffalo to shade Star Wars, and for Ewan McGregor to express no current interest in becoming a Marvel hero?

Why You Won’t See Ewan McGregor In The MCU Anytime Soon

During his recent appearance at FanExpo Boston (via ComicBook.com), McGregor didn’t totally shoot down the hypothetical situation of joining the Marvel ranks. Rather, the actor’s passions lie in other areas that he’s looking to cross off of his list in the meantime, which he shared with his audience in his response below:

It took almost 20 years for Ewan McGregor to finally return to the Star Wars universe through the Obi Wan Kenobi series, so rush isn’t a huge part of the man’s life plan. That being said, so long as McGregor is eager to stay in that galaxy far, far away, it sounds like he’s fine with leaving well enough alone with the MCU. Which is ok, because after Mark Ruffalo’s remarks about Star Wars, it might be awkward for these two potential co-stars to work together. 

How Mark Ruffalo Shaded Star Wars When Compared To The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Another round of Disney+ press has seen one of its stars speaking about another huge pillar to the company’s intellectual property. The big difference with Mark Ruffalo’s remarks is that when comparing Star Wars to the MCU for his Metro interview, the She Hulk star threw some shade on the corporate sibling. It was a polite shade though, as Ruffalo cited Marvel as being the superior force with some compelling evidence:

Admittedly, while it sounds like Star Wars has fallen into a formulaic rut according to Mark Ruffalo, he hasn’t exactly put off the potential for joining that universe. Even as far back as when Rian Johnson was hired to write/direct The Last Jedi, Ruffalo wanted in on the Star Wars fun. Perhaps his comments above are a way of stating that he’s a fan of Johnson’s controversial sequel.

Studios as big as Disney love to have long term relationships with talent like Mark Ruffalo and Ewan McGregor. As long as both Star Wars and Marvel are still making bank, the odds that either will join the other’s universe can increase at any given moment. Though if you wanted to place a bet as to who would make the first move, Ruffalo could be the current favorite, even after throwing that slight bit of shade.

No matter which side you’re on, if you’re a Disney+ subscriber, you can enjoy both Ewan McGregor and Mark Ruffalo’s latest. Ruffalo is currently reprising his role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk on She Hulk: Attorney at Law, and McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi is about to release a behind the scenes documentary entitled A Jedi’s Return. Expect that new Star Wars connected title to arrive on September 8, as part of this year’s Disney+ Day celebration!

There have been some amazing stop-motion animated movies released while I have been alive on this earth. And now, a master of horror and fantasy is going to be adding his own to the mix in the form of Pinocchio. That’s right, Guillermo del Toro’s vision of the famous fairytale is finally going to be coming to life soon on Netflix as part of the 2022 movie schedule.

But with more news coming out about this film, one might be wondering who's in the cast, or what the story will be about. Look no further, because we have some quick things about the upcoming Netflix movie that you’ll want to know as soon as possible, starting with when we'll see Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio. 

Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio Will Release In December 2022 On Netflix

It feels like this film has been in development for forever, but fortunately, we have some news on when this movie will debut. According to a new trailer that was released in July 2022, the new Pinocchio film directed by Guillermo del Toro will release in select theaters in November 2022, and release on Netflix in December. 

While there is no specific date of when in December, we can at least be thankful that this can be added to the 2022 Netflix movies, and it's surely one to look out for. 

Pinocchio Has A Star-Studded Cast Including Ewan McGregor, Finn Wolfhard, And More

If you’ve already watched the trailer at this point – and if you haven’t, you’ll find it below – you might have recognized that familiar voice behind Sebastian J. Cricket. That’s right, it’s Ewan McGregor who plays the little voice of wisdom for Pinocchio in the movie. And featured in the trailer are several other stars whose voices you may recognize. 

The Pinocchio cast list is stacked with stars. According to Deadline, several big names have signed on to the stop motion film, such as David Bradley (from the Game of Thrones cast) as Gepetto, Finn Wolfhard (who was recently in Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2021) as Lampwick, Cate Blanchett (who was a part of the Don’t Look Up cast in 2021) as Sprezzatura the Monkey, Tilda Swinton as the Fairy with Turquoise Hair, John Turturro as Master Cherry, Christoph Waltz as the Fox, and more. 

You might be wondering who might be playing the titular character, and that’s newcomer Gregory Mann, per the Deadline article. The little boy will have his first big role in Hollywood voicing Pinocchio. 

With a cast list like this, and a great production team behind the scenes, how can this movie not be amazing?

Del Toro Is Teaming Up With Mark Gustafson To Direct Pinocchio 

While many know who Guillermo del Toro is thanks to some of his big-time hits, such as the dark fantasy movie, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, Hellboy and more, he's teaming up with a big-shot in animation to see that Pinocchio is done right, and his partner is Mark Gustafson. 

Gustafson, who has worked for a long time in the animation industry, is most known for being the animation director of Fantastic Mr. Fox, another fun stop-motion animation movie with an amazing cast. 

This partnership has been one that has been going on for some time - dating all the way back to 2012, per IndieWire - so here’s hoping that he and del Toro are going to bring this wonderful fairy tale to life perfectly. 

Alexandre Desplat Will Write The Score For Pinocchio

That name might sound quite familiar to you. Pinocchio already has an amazing cast, and some awesome people behind the scenes. All it really needed was a brilliant composer, and del Toro got that in the form of Alexandre Desplat. 

Desplat has written the scores to some very famous movies. Two of his best, written for The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Shape of Water (which del Toro directed as well) won him the Academy Award for Best Score, but he’s written the music for many films that you might recall. 

Some of his most notable scores include Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Parts 1 & 2, The Golden Compass, Rise of the Guardians, Zero Dark Thirty, Isle of Dogs, Moonrise Kingdom, The King’s Speech, and most recently, the latest addition to Wes Anderson’s films, The French Dispatch. 

Truly, he’s a pro at what he does, and as someone who loves many of his scores (I still cry when listening to "Severus and Lily" from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2), I can’t wait to see what he produces for his second collaboration with Guillermo del Toro. 

Pinocchio Will Be A Stop-Motion Adaptation Of The Classic Fairytale

Disney+ is also working on a new adaptation of the fairytale, but the streaming platform’s upcoming Pinocchio will be live-action, starring Tom Hanks and several other stars. As mentioned earlier here, Pinocchio is going to be a stop-motion animated movie. 

This means that it will join the ranks of other famous stop-motion movies such as Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Corpse Bride, and more. I’ve always been a huge fan of this style of animation, so to see something like Pinocchio use the technique is so cool. 

According to the movie’s description, the main premise of this version of the story is that it will follow the titular character, Pinocchio, as he searches for his place in the world, taking him on a wild adventure.  

Del Toro Compares His Version Of Pinocchio To That Of Frankenstein 

While the premise of this movie is already interesting enough, del Toro, in an interview with Collider, said that he compares his version of Pinocchio to that of the classic monster movie, Frankenstein, and noted it’s always been a passion project of his: 

When the film was still in production, Del Toro spoke passionately about what he was making: 

And now, with the latest trailer already out, it’s looking like we’re going to get to see his version of the fairytale soon enough. Can I make a deal with God and just wish for December to come quicker? I need to see this movie sooner. Where’s my time machine?

Watch The Trailer For Pinocchio!

If you haven’t seen the trailer for Pinocchio yet, be sure to check it out down below:  

Which part of this movie are you excited for the most? I know that as soon as it’s available to watch, I’m going to stream it, and probably love the heck out of it. But until then, I must be patient.  

The post-mortem on the latest Star Wars Disney+ program continues now that all six episodes of Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi show has played out, and some fans are speculating on what could have been if Lucasfilm maintained its plans to make a trilogy of films around the legendary Jedi master. We made a list of the biggest questions we had about the show heading into its finale, and one of them involved the safety of young Luke Skywalker, who was introduced as part of the storyline. And now, while speaking at a fan convention, McGregor confirmed the rumors that this story once was supposed to be a trilogy of movies, and Luke would have been a primary focus.

Ewan McGregor took place in a panel at the FAN EXPO Boston on Sunday and, via ComicBook, touched on the early plans for Obi-Wan Kenobi to be a film – and a posible trilogy – that would have detailed the Jedi’s life on Tatooine. This was Kenobi’s self-imposed exile, where he served as a protector to Luke. But after the Han Solo prequel movie underperformed (for reasons we could spend a decade debating), the decision was made to shift to a limited series, and McGregor praised it. The actor reportedly confirmed:

Ewan McGregor isn’t the only creative associated with Obi-Wan Kenobi that believes the story worked better as a series on Disney+. Director and executive producer Deborah Chow called the format “perfect” to the story that they wanted to tell when she sat down with CinemaBlend during the show’s run, and we can take all of that with a grain of salt because we don’t know fully what happened during the pre-production conversations. At some point, yes, they decided to pivot to a longer-form television series. And it received a mixed response, though Star Wars fans went into it with an open mind. 

During his panel, Ewan McGregor also praised Lucasfilm and Disney for the lengths that they went to in order to protect the secrets of the show, saying in Boston:

Protecting movie secrets and television secrets have become extremely difficult over the years, because fan interest in properties like Star Wars and Marvel is at an all-time high. There were massive Star Wars cameos that were part of the show that Lucasfilm wanted to keep from fans (and from the most part, largely succeeded), and there were teases that could be picked up for Obi-Wan Kenobi season two… if a second season were to happen. The show did break a few records, according to Disney+ promotion, which likely is a good sign that the story could continue on the streaming service. But until that happens, we just tyrn our attention to the upcoming streaming story Andor, and what that will do for the galaxy that exists far, far away. 

Somehow, the schedule of 2022 movie releases has become the year of dueling wooden boys. Author Carlo Collodi’s iconic children’s classic The Adventures of Pinocchio is returning to the movies through both the Robert Zemeckis/Tom Hanks collaboration on Disney+, and a stop-motion adventure co-directed by Guillermo del Toro. After getting a teaser for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio earlier this year, we have our first extensive look at the gorgeous results we should expect to see later this year. 

“Gorgeous” almost feels like an understatement while watching this trailer for this Netflix animated spectacle. Guided once again by the voiceover of Ewan McGregor’s Sebastian J. Cricket, we’re treated to a brief overview of how this movie will be different from all other Pinocchio adaptations. Through the promise of telling a story we think we know, and beautiful imagery co-directed by Mark Gustafson, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio truly feels like something special. 

Anyone expecting the film to dive deeper into the darkness that Guillermo del Toro has been known for throughout his career might be surprised at how bright this trailer is. By all accounts Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio has been expected to be a family-friendly movie. However, knowing the darkness that lurks underneath Carlo Collodi’s cautionary tale, as well as the Fascist Italy setting del Toro is using to tell the story, it’s not going to be quite like the Disney version of events. 

We also get a better sense of the cast in Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, as we get our first listen at Tilda Swinton’s Fairy with Turquoise Hair, and newcomer Gabriel Mann’s Pinocchio. Swinton’s sage, other-worldly presence perfectly complements the innocence of Mann’s wooden boy, which officially sets up an important triangle of characters alongside the previously mentioned Sebastian J. Cricket. 

There’s plenty more figures to be heard from as well, with voices like David Bradley, Christoph Waltz, Cate Blanchett, and Ron Perlman still waiting for their debut. However, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is being planned for a fall/winter release, which will include a limited theatrical run at some point as well. We have plenty of time to anticipate what the next trailer will look like, as this title is taking more of a traditional approach to promoting its grand adventure. 

Given that this was a movie that looked like it'd join the pile of other discarded del Toro passion projects, the fact that we're even seeing this footage is a miracle of its own. Knowing now that Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio looks and feels as beautiful as we'd hoped is an apt parallel to the story of the little boy puppet himself; even if the true darkness of Guillermo del Toro's movie has yet to be seen. 

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio doesn’t have an exact release date yet. However, you can expect it in limited theatrical release in November, with a streaming debut delivering the title to Netflix subscribers in December.

There are popular movie franchises, and then there’s Star Wars. Entire generations were brought up on the galaxy far, far away, so the property means a great deal to moviegoers out there. But those strong emotions can sometimes lead to toxicity, as seen with the treatment of Rose Tico actress Kelly Marie Tran. And Ewan McGregor recently explained why he thinks Star Wars fans had such a negative initial reaction to the prequels.

Moviegoers were thrilled that the Star Wars franchise was finally coming back to theaters with the prequels, starting with The Phantom Menace. But the fans took umbrage with various aspects of these movies including the dialogue, CGI, and performances. Ewan McGregor starred as Obi-Wan Kenobi in all three of those flicks, and recently spoke to GQ about why he thinks folks responded so negatively when the Star Wars prequels arrived in theaters. In his words,

He’s got a point. As previously mentioned, the Star Wars franchise is something very personal to the many moviegoers who grew up on George Lucas’ colorful galaxy. So when adults headed to theaters for the prequels in the early 2000’s, they wanted the same sense of magic they felt for the original trilogy. And when that didn’t happen, some tempers flared.

Ewan McGregor reflected on his time in the Star Wars prequels while promoting his new Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Despite those movies being the butt of countless jokes, fans were thrilled that McGregor would be stepping back into his signature role. In fact, many out there are hoping that the series will get a Season 2 on the streaming service.

While the prequels were originally frowned upon, there’s been much more love for George Lucas’ trilogy of Star Wars movies as the years have gone by. What’s more, in-universe there’s been a ton of focus on the time between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, making lore related to Episodes I through III all the more important. 

Since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, there’s been a ton of new content set within the Star Wars franchise, to the delight of fans. The Rise of Skywalker ended the nine-film main franchise, and we’re currently in the midst of a hiatus for the franchise’s life in theaters. Instead, there’s been a focus on live-action shows on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian. While the first season of Obi-Wan Kenobi has come to an end, there’s more of these types of projects coming via Andor and Ahsoka. 

Ewan McGregor’s tenure in the Star Wars franchise is available in its entirety on Disney+. Be sure to check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Spoiler warning for anyone who hasn't yet watched the entirety of Obi-Wan Kenobi, so beware!

Obi-Wan Kenobi featured quite a surprise in its finale, with a massive Jedi cameo nearly stealing the show even after the clues foreshadowing their appearance. Now, as Disney+ subscribers await news about a potential Season 2 or other follow-up, Qui-Gon Jinn actor Liam Neeson confirmed that was him as the Force Ghost, and shined some light on why he returned to the world of Star Wars after years of saying he was fine to be done with it all. 

Liam Neeson, whose wise mentor character Qui-Gon Jinn made his debut and later died in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, spoke to THR about his live-action(ish) return as a Force Ghost in Obi-Wan Kenobi's final moments. Neeson explained he reprised his role for a number of reasons, one of which involved his former co-star Ewan McGregor:

Liam Neeson mentioned the key point that he didn’t want another actor playing Qui-Gon Jinn, and fortunately for him, it doesn’t appear as though Star Wars and Disney execs were keen to discuss substitutions either. The actor donned his classic look for the character and finally appeared to Obi-Wan Kenobi as a Force Ghost after many requests from an oft-desperate Kenobi throughout the six-episode series. It marked the first time audiences saw Qui-Gon as a Force Ghost in live-action, and lays the groundwork for a potential reprisal should Obi-Wan Kenobi get another season. 

Should Obi-Wan Kenobi return for another season, though, it’s hard to imagine Liam Neeson would factor into the story in a meatier way than his cameo in Obi-Wan's conclusion. When Alec Guinness appeared as a Force Ghost during the original Star Wars trilogy, he only had about a minute of screentime in The Empire Strikes Back, and a little under two and a half minutes in Return of the Jedi (via Gold Derby). Granted, that probably worked just fine for Guiness.

Considering Star Wars' powers that be are trying lots of things out in this new era, perhaps Neeson’s Force Ghost could command just a bit more screentime if there are opportunities for him to return. Let’s also not forget that now that Liam Neeson is back as Qui-Gon Jinn in the Star Wars universe, there is always an opportunity for another prequel series centering squarely on his Jedi character. 

Neeson is only one of a few who would be able to confirm if that’s something that’s in the works, and he wasn’t exactly honest about his involvement in Obi-Wan Kenobi when asked ahead of the final episode airing. So with that in mind, the best we can do is wait and see if he’ll reunite with McGregor should more episodes come for Obi-Wan Kenobi, or if Qui-Gon Jinn might return to Star Wars in another way entirely.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is available right now on Disney+ and is totally worth rewatching for the Vader scenes alone. I’m crossing my fingers for more adventures with the character and maybe even some updates on what’s happening with Reva after her arc. 

The long awaited return of Ewan McGregor to Star Wars has now concluded with the final episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi arriving on Disney+ this week. The show has been called a “limited series” rather than “Season 1” by Disney, implying that there won’t be anymore of the show, but it sounds like most of the key players, including McGregor and Hayden Christensen, are interested in doing more.

While the Obi-Wan Kenobi series tells a complete story, those that enjoyed that story would certainly like to see more, and they’re not the only ones. Speaking with the GQ, Ewan McGregor very clearly states that he would like to play Obi-Wan again, saying…  

Ewan McGregor has never been shy about his willingness to play Obi-Wan again following the prequels. He was asked that question countless times and he always said yes, even if it turns out he had already said yes to Disney long before the series was ever confirmed.

And McGregor isn’t the only actor willing to come back. Hayden Christensen tells the Radio Times, that he thinks there’s more to explore as Darth Vader, so while he knows this show was only meant to be limited, if asked, it sounds like he’s up for coming back. Christensen said…

Of course, if there was a second season of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the first conversation about it would likely be between Disney and Deborah Chow, who was the showrunner and director of the series. For her part, while she doesn’t completely shut down the idea, she says she hasn’t had a chance to even think about it. She explained…

Chow’s comment came before Obi-Wan Kenobi was actually done, and now it is, so perhaps she will now start to think about it. If somebody has an idea for a story it would seem like more of Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan is likely, the fans want it, the actors are interested, and Disney probably isn’t against it either.  The studio seems to be doing much better with Star Wars on the small screen than the big one. Assuming that enough people watched the limited series, it seems obvious Disney would just fine with making it a bit less limited.

Warning: SPOILERS for Obi-Wan Kenobi are ahead!

It hasn’t even been a month since Obi-Wan Kenobi premiered to Disney+ subscribers, but this specific Star Wars journey has almost reached its conclusion. Over five episodes, we’ve watched Ewan McGregor’s title character go through quite a journey, which has seen him protecting a young Leia Organa (played by Vivien Lyra Blair), clashing with Darth Vader (physically portrayed by Hayden Christensen and voiced by James Earl Jones) and meeting a lot of new faces to a galaxy far, far away. Now there’s just one episode left to wrap this story up.

Whether Obi-Wan Kenobi’s season finale is “normal” length or extra long, there’s a lot that will need to explored in it and plenty of questions to answer. Regarding the latter, we’ve highlighted six in particular we hope are addressed, and we’ll kick things off going over the question that could be argued as the meatiest of them all.

How Will Obi-Wan Kenobi And Darth Vader's Rematch Go Down?

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader have already locked lightsaber blades once in this Star Wars show, and this encounter didn’t go well for the former character. Between being taken by surprise by seeing the man he once knew as Anakin Skywalker in his cybernetic form and having barely used the Force since the duel on Mustafar, Obi-Wan was way too rusty to put up a fight against his former Padawan, and their scuffle ended with the Jedi Master being set on fire. Luckily Indira Varma’s Tala was able to save him, but some concept art released in late 2021 and the Empire now hot on The Path refugees’ tails indicate that Obi-Wan and Vader are due for a rematch. Granted, we know both will make it out alive and meet one more nearly a decade later in A New Hope, but how will it go down, and will be just as badass as their previous two conflicts? Chances are strong on the latter, but as far as the former go, I’m curious to see how the pieces fall into place for what could be be the last time fans see these two battle onscreen together.

How Did Reva Get Involved With The Inquisitors?

As many Star Wars fans suspected, Moses Ingram’s Reva revealed in Obi-Wan Kenobi’s penultimate episode that she was indeed one of the younglings we saw at the start of the series’ premiere episode attempting to avoid being killed at the start of Order 66. Reva only survived because she played dead amongst the corpses, and while she later became an Inquisitor, she didn’t do so to serve Darth Vader, but rather kill him someday. Still, it’s a major jump to go from youngling who lived through Order 66 to Inquisitor, so how did Reva end up carrying a red lightsaber blade? It’s possible this full story will be saved for a novel or comic book series someday, but it would be nice for Obi-Wan to provide some additional information for how she ended up with the Empire.

Will Bail Organa Hook Up With Roken And The Other Path Members?

As anyone who’s seen Revenge of the Sith knows, Bail Organa is no fan of the Empire, and as shown in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and mentioned in A New Hope, he was a key leader in the Rebellion until he died when the first Death Star destroyed Alderaan. That said, when Jimmy Smith popped up as Bail in Obi-Wan Kenobi’s first episode, Bail’s ties to the Rebellion weren’t directly laid out, as his chief concern was making sure his daughter was safe and serving the people of his planet as Senator. Make no mistake though, Bail was instrumental to the Rebellion’s infancy, and since we know Leia will eventually make her way back to her father and mother, will Obi-Wan Kenobi deliver her on his own, or will O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s Roken and other members of The Path accompany him? This network appears to be separate from the Rebellion’s efforts, but I can easily see these two groups coming together.

What Kind Of Danger Is Luke Skywalker In?

Reva was badly injured by Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 5, but she’s not down for the count just yet. As she was dragging herself across the dirt on Jabiim, she found Obi-Wan’s lost transmitter, and while it was damaged during the battle between The Path operatives and the Imperial forces, she was able to hear part of Bail Organa’s message, learning that he intended to travel to Tatooine. We then ended the episode with an ominous shot of young Luke Skywalker asleep in his bed. While Reva wants Vader dead, it’s been made abundantly clear that her and Obi-Wan’s interests don’t align. So is she now headed to Tatooine to find Luke? And if she is, what does she plan to with the boy? Whatever it is, it isn’t good, and while we know Luke will be fine in the long run, you can be sure Owen will find a way to blame Obi-Wan for what happens. Back to Reva…

Will Reva Survive?

Rather than kill her on the spot, Darth Vader and The Grand Inquisitor (yes, he’s still alive and on the path to his destiny in Star Wars Rebels Season 1) left Reva for dead, and even though she’s still alive by the end, will she stay that way by the end of the finale? It’s easy enough to imagine Reva succumbing to her wounds, losing to Obi-Wan in a duel or any number of other things that end with her demise. Having said that, it’s rumored that Obi-Wan Kenobi will get a second season, and Reva will be along for that ride too. To be clear, this information is in no way official, but if it’s accurate, then Reva’s fans can look forward to seeing more of her in a galaxy far, far away.

Will We See Qui-Gon Jinn?

Although Liam Neeson’s sole onscreen outing in the Star Wars universe is still The Phantom Menace, he did vocally reprised Qui-Gon Jinn in Attack of the Clones, The Rise of Skywalker and a few episodes of The Clone Wars. The ‘Previously On’ segment in Obi-Wan Kenobi’s first episode also highlighted how at the end of Revenge of the Sith, Yoda promised to teach Obi-Wan how to communicate with the late Qui-Gon through the Force. We have yet to see this happen in the series, though as mentioned earlier, Obi-Wan has gotten pretty rusty with the Force. A lot of Star Wars fans have wanted to see Neeson reprise Qui-Gon as a Force Ghost, and with just one episode left to go in Obi-Wan Kenobi (unless Season 2 is indeed on the way), this would be the perfect and potentially last opportunity to show that.

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s finale drops Wednesday on Disney+, but that won’t be the last Star Wars content the streaming service provides this year, as Andor Season 1 and The Bad Batch Season 2 will arrive in the coming months. CinemaBlend will also continue to share the biggest news items on upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

Obi-Wan Kenobi brought back both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen to reprise their roles as Obi-Wan and Darth Vader from the Star Wars prequel trilogy, but there was no guarantee that Christensen would actually show much of his face for the Disney+ limited series. After all, Vader wears the mask for a reason after the battle on Mustafar. The third episode delivered the show’s first look at the actor back in his Anakin Skywalker costume, and Christensen opened up to CinemaBlend about suiting up as Anakin again opposite Ewan McGregor. 

The news that Hayden Christensen was returning naturally had fans wondering if the show would deliver some flashbacks to the era of the prequel films to actually show the actor’s face, or if it would all be Vader in the suit. It was Obi-Wan’s vision of his former student in the third episode that first featured Christensen back in his Anakin costume. He shared how it felt to wear the Jedi robes again for Obi-Wan Kenobi: 

Not only did that ghostly vision of Obi-Wan’s give Hayden Christensen the first chance to wear the Anakin costume again, but it was also the very first scene that he filmed in his return to the galaxy far, far away. It makes sense that Obi-Wan’s vision would be of a version of Anakin looking like he did in Revenge of the Sith, and the timing worked out for this to be the actor’s earliest scene for the show. (Christensen also shared his thoughts on the show shedding “new light” on his iconic character.)

In the third episode, Anakin obviously wasn’t really there in the flesh when Obi-Wan had his vision while trying to evade the Empire with young Leia, but it turns out that Ewan McGregor was there for his co-star even though their characters didn’t appear in the same shot. When asked if he filmed the scene on location opposite McGregor, Christensen said: 

Considering that neither Vader nor Obi-Wan are going to be doing anything “sweet” for each other at the TV show’s point in the Star Wars timeline, it’s nice to hear about Ewan McGregor going the extra mile to be there for Hayden Christensen in his first scene back. The third episode also delivered the first lightsaber clash between Obi-Wan and Vader following Revenge of the Sith, and Vader certainly wasn’t letting his former master get the high ground this time. 

Of course, Obi-Wan did still escape with his life, and it remains to be seen if Vader will ever definitively defeat him in a lightsaber duel. His desperation to get his revenge on Obi-Wan may be the fatal flaw in his chase in this series, since fans know that they’ll both survive to fight again in A New Hope. 

Reva has been the main foe actually putting in the legwork of chasing Obi-Wan in the series, and she has been a wild card since her fate hasn't already been decided by a film or different TV show. Actress Moses Ingram even spoke about the perks of playing a new Star Wars character, and a lot has happened since that third episode. As for whether or not Hayden Christensen will wear the Jedi robes again before the final credits roll on Obi-Wan Kenobi... well, only the series finale is left at this point, so time is running out. 

Watch the series finale of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Wednesday, June 22 at 12:01 a.m. PT on Disney+. There are plenty of offerings set in that galaxy far, far away available streaming as well, so be sure to check out a Disney+ subscription if you haven’t already for all the Star Wars action any fan could hope for. 

In recent days there’s been something of a debate surrounding Star Wars and the best way to carry classic characters forward into modern stories. Recent comments made by Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy seem to indicate that going forward we’re likely to see Star Wars characters recreated with CGI rather than recasting with new actors. But before that was possible, Ewan McGregor was cast in the role once held by Sir Alec Guinness to play Obi-Wan Kenobi. But what would it have looked like if the new Disney+ series tried to use CGI to recreate Alec Guinness?

Recently, Stryder HD seemed to try and answer that exact question, by taking scenes from the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series, and using deepfake technology to make Ewan McGregor more closely resemble a younger Alec Guinness. Take a look and see what you think.

It’s an interesting look to say the least. I’m not sure it works all that well, but some of that is to be chalked up to the tech. At the same time, maybe this really shows just how good the casting of Ewan McGregor was, he looks remarkably like Alec Guinness. Although, Alec Guinness, even younger, would still have more lines in his face. Deepfakes always look oddly smooth, and nobody’s face, no matter how young, really looks that smooth. 

To be sure, if this was attempted by Lucasfilm, the look would probably work a little better. It’s hard to argue that the recent work to bring Luke Skywalker back in The Mandalorian is not technically impressive. It may not be entirely there yet, but it works a lot better than a lot of people thought it would. 

It’s an interesting thought experiment to wonder how creating a young Obi-Wan Kenobi might have been handled in the prequel era if this sort of technology had existed. It probably wouldn’t have worked for a character as important, and prominent, as Obi-Wan was in the prequels. Because there’s still a bit of “uncanny valley” in these situations, showing these characters in brief moments on screen, as was done with Leia and Grand Moff Tarkin in Rogue One, is usually best.

Still, this sort of thing does look like the future of Star Wars. Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy recently made comments about the difficulty the studio has had recasting popular characters, specifically, Solo: A Star Wars Story. Rather than simply not use these characters, it seems the plan is to use new technology to recreate them as needed.

Of course, Ewan McGregor shows that recasting can work just fine. For a generation that grew up with the prequels rather than the original trilogy, he is Obi-Wan Kenobi even more than Alec Guinness is. Of course, if Star Wars needs a prequel era Obi-Wan in live action for any reason, than McGregor will likely be the one getting his face CGI’d on somebody else.  

There are many fans who agree that one of the best performances (if not the best) by an actor in the entire Star Wars universe comes from Ewan McGregor as a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequel trilogy. That being said, there is no question as to why his return to the role on his own new, self-titled miniseries has received decent critical acclaim and has broken records in viewership on Disney+ since its two-episode premiere on Friday, May 27, 2022.

While the legendary Jedi Master may be his best-known role by a good parsec, the Scottish actor’s celebrated career is full of countless other brilliant performances as inventive characters from both the big and small screen. However, for our following list of picks for Ewan McGregor's best movies and TV shows - along with where to watch them on streaming, as a digital rental or purchase, or on physical media - his new Star Wars spin-off series is where we shall begin.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

A decade after the rise of Imperial rule in the galaxy, a surviving Jedi Master (Ewan McGregor) is forced to come out of hiding when he's tasked with a dangerous mission that brings him face-to-face with his former apprentice-turned-enemy (Hayden Christensen).

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: While the actor would admit on The Tonight Show that he had trouble relearning the character’s signature accent (essentially an impression of Alec Guinness), you could argue that McGregor has never been better than in the title role of Obi-Wan Kenobi - a six-part miniseries taking place between the prequels and the original trilogy that is easily one of the best Star Wars TV shows on Disney+ yet.

Stream Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+.

The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy (1999-2005)

Years before the rise of Imperial rule in the galaxy, a Jedi-in-training (Ewan McGregor) and his master (Liam Neeson) meet a young boy who later becomes his apprentice, before the eventual Jedi Master comes to the horrifying realization that the once promising young warrior is really destined to lead the galaxy into darkness.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: Despite the backlash from fans that this trilogy is infamous for, there are actually many reasons why writer and director George Lucas’ Star Wars prequels (namely The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith) are worth revisiting - one of them being the captivating performance from McGregor, assuming the role of a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Stream the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy on Disney+.

Buy/Rent Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace on Amazon.
Buy/Rent Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones on Amazon.
Buy/Rent Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith on Amazon.

Get the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy on Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Doctor Sleep (2019)

Years after he and his mother escaped a grisly fate at the hands of his father at a haunted hotel, a telepath (Ewan McGregor) is forced to face his worst fears when a young girl of greater power than he (Kyleigh Curran) becomes the target of a sadistic woman of similar ability (Rebecca Ferguson) and her hungry crew of immortals.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: A more recent example of McGregor doing a phenomenal job succeeding an iconic role is when he played the gifted Danny Torrance in Doctor Sleep - one of the best films by director Mike Flanagan, whose chilling take on Stephen King’s long-awaited sequel to The Shining actually helped the author reconcile his personal issues with the classic 1980 adaptation by Stanley Kubrick.

Stream Doctor Sleep on Tubi.
Buy/Rent Doctor Sleep on Amazon.
Get Doctor Sleep on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Shallow Grave (1994)

After suddenly finding their new flatmate dead in his bedroom, three friends (Ewan McGregor, Christopher Ecceleston, and Kerry Fox) soon discover that he possessed a great sum of money and choose to keep it, only to fall prey to original owners of the loot.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: One of McGregor’s first thrillers, his very first time working with director Danny Boyle (also the filmmaker’s debut), and the film credited with first putting him on the map is Shallow Grave - a creepy, clever, sexy, and vastly underrated crime drama.

Buy/Rent Shallow Grave on Amazon.
Get Shallow Grave on Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Trainspotting (1996)

A young man (Ewan McGregor) struggles to let go of his addiction to heroin, despite the influences of his close friends who are even more deeply immersed in the drug scene in modern day Scotland.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: McGregor’s second collaboration with director Danny Boyle, second collaboration with Shallow Grave writer John Hodge, and a film that boasts one of his most acclaimed and iconic performances was Trainspotting - a surreal, sometimes horrifying, and dazzling dark comedy based on the novel by Irvine Welsh that would spawn a sequel in 2017.

Stream Trainspotting on Hoopla.
Buy/Rent Trainspotting on Amazon.
Get Trainspotting on Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

A young, ambitious poet from England (Ewan McGregor) falls in love with a lavish night club’s star performer (Nicole Kidman), only for complications involving her secondary profession as a sex worker to threaten their romance, in late 19th century Paris.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: McGregor proves that he can sing, too, as the male romantic lead of the Moulin Rouge! cast in co-writer and director Baz Luhrmann’s visually inventive musical featuring unique covers of contemporary radio hits.

Stream Moulin Rouge! on Starz.
Buy/Rent Moulin Rouge! on Amazon.
Get Moulin Rouge! on Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Big Fish (2003)

As his father (Albert Finney) nears the end of his life, a journalist (Billy Crudup) realizes he doesn't know the man as well as he believes he should and struggles to distinguish what is fact from what is fantasy in the strange tales from his youth.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: In yet another visually stunning fantasy classic from the early 2000s, Ewan McGregor leads the Big Fish cast as the younger version of Finney’s character, in this romantic adventure from director Tim Burton that's based on the imaginative novel by Daniel Wallace.

Stream Big Fish on Netflix.
Buy/Rent Big Fish on Amazon.
Get Big Fish on Blu-Ray on Amazon.

The Island (2005)

After his friend (Scarlett Johansson) is chosen as the next person in their sterile underground community to go to the last place on Earth said to be free of contamination, a man (Ewan McGregor) begins to question what this place really is, leading him to discover a horrifying truth.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: In yet another romantic adventure from the mid-2000s, both McGregor and Johansson play dual roles (the main heroes and the rich ailing the people they learn they were cloned from) in The Island - a fun and surprisingly thought-provoking sci-fi thriller and one of the best Michael Bay movies, as far as I am concerned.

Buy/Rent The Island on Amazon.
Get The Island on Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Fargo Season 3 (2017)

In hopes of buying an engagement ring for his girlfriend (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a man (Ewan McGregor) tries to rob his wealthy older brother (also played by McGregor), which not only proves unsuccessful, but causes the couple to become wrapped up in a disastrous murder case.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: McGregor also gives an Emmy-nominated performance as two different characters on the third season of the acclaimed FX original crime drama, Fargo - creator Noah Hawley’s seasonal anthology loosely inspired by Joel and Ethan Coen’s Academy Award-winning classic from 1996 - during which he met his future Birds of Prey co-star and real-life wife, Winstead. 

Stream Fargo Season 3 on Hulu.
Buy Fargo Season 3 on Amazon.
Get Fargo Season 3 on DVD on Amazon.

Beginners (2010)

After learning that his father (Christopher Plummer) has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, a graphic designer (Ewan McGregor) also discovers that the dying man has chosen to finally reveal the truth about his sexuality.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: McGregor gives one of his finest and most soulful performances opposite the late Plummer (in the veteran actor’s first Oscar-winning role) in Beginners - a warm and inspiring dramedy from writer and director Mike Mills.

Buy/Rent Beginners on Amazon.
Get Beginners on Blu-Ray on Amazon.

The Impossible (2012)

A man (Ewan McGregor) and his youngest sons (Oaklee Pendergast, Samuel Joslin) struggle to find his wife (Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts) and their eldest son (Tom Holland) after they become separated in the aftermath of a devastating natural disaster while vacationing in Thailand.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: Despite never actually securing a nomination, McGregor did receive some Oscar buzz for his hearbreakingly authentic performance in The Impossible - director J.A. Bayona’s retelling of one family’s terrifying true account of the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004. 

Buy/Rent The Impossible on Amazon.
Get The Impossible on Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Halston (2021)

An Iowa native (Ewan McGregor) gives himself a single-word professional title and goes on to revolutionize the fashion industry with his minimalist clothing designs.

Why it’s one of Ewan McGregor’s best: McGregor was, however, rewarded with an Emmy for his lead performance in the title role of Halston - a five-part, Netflix original miniseries based on the life of one of the fashion industry’s most legendary figures that the actor also executive produced.

Stream Halston on Netflix.

As for one more thing about Star Wars: did you know that Ewan McGregor’s connection to the franchise goes beyond his own role in the movies. His uncle, Dennis Lawson, played Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy, which is how young Ewan became interested in this galaxy far, far away in the first place. Looks like talent (and great franchise potential) does run in the family.

Following Jake Lloyd’s time as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Hayden Christensen was brought in to play the character as a young adult for the remaining two movies in the Prequel Trilogy, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. We only got to see Christensen don the Darth Vader armor briefly at the end of the latter Star Wars movie, but now Obi-Wan Kenobi has come along, allowing him to play an integral role as the Sith Lord in his cyborg form. And as Ewan McGregor explained, the crew of the latest Star Wars series were just as pumped to see Christensen back as Vader as the fans were.

Although Darth Vader’s voice is once again provided by James Earl Jones in Obi-Wan Kenobi (with aid from Respeecher), Hayden Christensen was brought back to physically portray the character, his first time doing so in nearly two decades. While chatting with ET, Ewan McGregor, who’s of course reprising Obi-Wan Kenobi, recalled the reaction on set when Christensen walked out on set for the first time wearing the Darth Vader suit:

Hayden Christensen added that many of the crew members on Obi-Wan Kenobi were “proper Star Wars fans,” and as a result were “really excited to be there.” So it’s no wonder so many people turned out to see Christensen walk out onto the set in the Darth Vader suit. Ewan McGregor has plenty of people fond of his Obi-Wan Kenobi performance, to be sure, but when the opportunity comes along to see the Prequel Trilogy’s older Anakin Skywalker encased in that black armor, no Star Wars fan would pass that up. As far as the general public goes, Christensen’s involvement in Obi-Wan Kenobi was announced back in December 2020, and now people with a Disney+ subscription are finally able to see him back in action as Vader roughly 10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, when he’s not as “fully formed.”

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Obi-Wan Kenobi are ahead!

Hayden Christensen first appeared in Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of the second episode, when Darth Vader was shown awakening in his bacta tank on Mustafar right after the title protagonist learned that his former apprentice was still alive. In this week’s episode, after getting back in the suit that helps keep him alive, he instructed Reva, one of his Inquistors, to find Obi-Wan, promising he’d make her the new Grand Inquisitor is she succeeded, and would  punish her if she failed him. Eventually she tracked the Jedi Master and young Leia Organa to Maputo, and upon arriving, Vader started murdering civilians to draw Obi-Wan out into the open.

From there, these two locked lightsaber blades for the first time in a decade, but because Obi-Wan Kenobi was rusty with using the Force, Darth Vader quickly overpowered him and went so far as to set him on fire. Luckily, Tala, an Imperial officer who helped out Obi-Wan and Leia earlier in the episode, came back to bail the Jedi out of his predicament. Vader may have won this round, but per concept art that’s been released, we know that these two will face off against each other again before the Obi-Wan Kenobi series is over.

New episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi premiere Wednesdays on Disney+, and for the Hayden Christensen fans out there, he’s also lined up to reprise Anakin Skywalker in Ahsoka, which will debut sometime in 2023. Keep checking in with CinemaBlend for updates on other upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

Star Wars Celebration, held in Southern California recently, was very much that: A celebration of the Star Wars fandom, a gathering of passionate supporters of the galaxy’s stories, and a news dump regarding upcoming Star Wars projects. In the process, the first two episodes of the new Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi screened for critics and fans before it landed on the streaming service. And while reviews for the show were mixed to positive, far too much scorn was leveled at franchise newcomer Moses Ingram. She plays Sith Inquisitor Reva Sevander, and following the episodes, some fans bombarded her with racist and hateful messages on social media. First, the official Star Wars account came to Ingram’s support. And now it’s lead actor Ewan McGregor condemning this speech and standing up for his co-star. 

Here’s Ewan McGregor’s Tweet, with a video message of condemnation and support:

It’s never OK to attack an actor because of a character that they play in a Star Wars television show. Full stop. Nothing about Star Wars is that important that you’d need to send a hateful message to an actor playing a villain in a new Disney+ series. It’s not constructive. It’s destructive.

And that’s how Moses Ingram has said she has felt following the release of Obi-Wan Kenobi. In an Instagram story posted to her official account, the actor shared DM’s sent to her that claimed her “days are numbered,” and that she “won’t be loved or remembered” for the part that she is playing in the show. As Moses Ingram admits that there were hundreds of hateful messages sent to her that were similar to that, she also informed her followers:

Sadly, Moses Ingram isn’t the first actor to receive harsh, incessant criticism for a role that they played in a Star Wars project. Hell, Obi-Wan Kenobi star Hayden Christensen, reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker, spent decades hearing from Star Wars fans how much they hated his acting in the Prequel Trilogy. The criticism basically forced him to quit acting. And then there’s Ahmed Best, the actor who played Jar Jar Binks for George Lucas and admitted years after the fact that the criticism from the fans continued to plague him, and affect his psyche. In 2018, Best even admitted that he contemplated suicide thanks to the backlash suffered from playing the role. 

Thankfully, Ewan McGregor and some in the Star Wars community are standing up for Obi-Wan Kenobi co-star Moses Ingram, whose role in the show could end up being significant, given the fact that we’ve only seen two episodes out of six. Fandom can be quick to make rash judgments. But hate speech leveled at an actor playing a part in a fictional story is unacceptable, and it’s best that the powers that be at Star Wars nip this tragedy in the bud. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi stars Ewan McGregor, Moses Ingram and director Deborah Chow discuss their new Star Wars series in this spoiler-free interview.

Video Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro 
• 0:22 - Ewan McGregor on Obi-Wan living in through “darker time” of the “Star Wars universe” 
• 01:23 - Director Deborah Chow explains how Obi-Wan must operate while in hiding 
• 01:54 - Moses Ingram and Deborah Chow speak on how the Sith and Inquisitors differ 
• 02:43 - Moses Ingram reflects on her time on set with Obi-Wan and Darth Vader 
• 03:15 - Deborah Chow on the challenge of connecting the “Star Wars” trilogies, and taking a deeper look into Obi-Wan’s character 
• 04:25 - Ewan McGregor reflects on Obi-Wan’s journey and his obligation to Luke Skywalker

The long wait for Ewan McGregor to return as Obi-Wan Kenobi is coming to an end, with the first episodes of his limited series premiering on May 27. Obi-Wan Kenobi picks up in the timeline ten years after the character's last appearance in live-action in Revenge of the Sith, resigned to spending his life watching over Luke Skywalker on Tatooine. Star Wars fans undoubtedly know what happens for Obi-Wan in A New Hope, and the star promised that viewers will find the show’s developments “satisfying.”

Although certain elements of Obi-Wan and Darth Vader’s storylines are set in stone thanks to how Episode III ended and Episode IV picked up, the era between those movies has a lot of blanks that can be filled in. Speaking with CinemaBlend, Ewan McGregor previewed how the show connects some dots between the films: 

Fans with a Disney+ subscription will have to wait until the new episodes release to find out precisely what those “strands” between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope are, but it seems safe to take McGregor’s word that it will be “satisfying” as the man behind Obi-Wan Kenobi during the prequel trilogy! It’s safe to say that Obi-Wan won’t be overthrowing the Empire or recruiting Luke to be his Padawan or being killed in a second epic duel with Vader, but there will be connections.

Plus, the show has Star Wars installments in addition to Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope to draw from. The Clone Wars TV show is responsible for fleshing out the timeline between Episode II and Episode III, and the Inquisitors who will be after Obi-Wan in Obi-Wan Kenobi have their TV origins in Star Wars Rebels, set between Episode III and Rogue One/Episode IV. They should be the ideal villains for Obi-Wan at this point in the Star Wars timeline as a Jedi in hiding but who won’t meet his end for another several years.

His status as a Jedi in hiding means that he’ll be using a blaster instead of his iconic lightsaber, which is a change that both Ewan McGregor and director Deborah Chow addressed ahead of the series premiere. All things considered, there’s clearly a lot to look forward to, with nods to the movies, elements from the animated shows, and the original storytelling that fans will finally get to see after the project was announced way back in 2019. Although Star Wars fans have gotten shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and The Bad Batch to whet their appetites, Obi-Wan is back. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres its first episode on Disney+ on Friday, May 27, with subsequent episodes releasing on Wednesdays. For more Star Wars fixes, be sure to check out the library of films and shows available on the Disney streamer.

One of Star Wars’ most iconic Jedi is on his way back to live-action, but he won’t be wielding his iconic weapon like he used to. Ewan McGregor returns to the galaxy far, far away for Obi-Wan Kenobi, set ten years after the events of Revenge of the Sith and Obi-Wan’s fateful lightsaber duel with Darth Vader on Mustafar. The trailers for the new Disney+ show reveal the character wielding a blaster. Speaking with CinemaBlend, McGregor shared the somber reason for picking up the weapon that Obi-Wan himself once deemed “uncivilized.”

Obi-Wan made it clear in the prequel films (which the star revisited for the show) and the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series that he did not consider a blaster to be the worthy weapon for a Jedi. When I spoke with Ewan McGregor ahead of the Obi-Wan Kenobi debut, he shared what it was like for him to wield a blaster as his character after three movies with a lightsaber:

The character is in hiding, so he can’t exactly go around igniting his lightsaber on a regular basis, and living “in a very different sort of time” means a very different sort of weapon for Obi-Wan. This won’t be the first occasion that fans see him with a blaster, as he resorted to one to take down General Grievous and had to use one more than once in The Clone Wars, but this is a far more hopeless point in the Star Wars timeline with the Jedi Order destroyed. His responsibility to Luke provides a link to his Jedi history that his lightsaber can’t. Ewan McGregor continued: 

With Darth Vader in power, the Grand Inquisitor on the hunt, and Owen Lars not exactly embracing Obi-Wan wanting to train Luke, it’s no wonder that hope is pretty much buried down for Obi-Wan. His life might even get harder before it gets any easier, based on trailer action as well as the rematch between him and Vader, with Hayden Christensen also reprising his role from the prequel films. (Christensen has reacted to the prequels gaining more appreciation in recent years.)

So, what should Star Wars fans expect from this version of Obi-Wan, wielding a blaster and in such a different emotional place from the end of Revenge of the Sith? Director and executive producer Deborah Chow weighed in:

Will Obi-Wan be able to build himself back up by the end of the limited series? Fans know from A New Hope that he won’t be overthrowing the Empire or defeating Darth Vader for good, but Star Wars has a largely blank slate in the era between the prequel trilogy and original trilogy, and Ewan McGregor has said that he’d be up to play his iconic character again after Obi-Wan Kenobi. If he’s already pretending to be a Jedi in real life, why not keep doing it in the galaxy far, far away?

For now, you can look forward to the series premiere of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Friday, May 27 at 12:01 a.m. PT with a Disney+ subscription, with subsequent episodes releasing on Wednesdays. You can also revisit the prequel trilogy and full run of Star Wars: The Clone Wars to prepare for Ewan McGregor’s return to his role on Disney+.

For years, Star Wars fans have hoped to see Ewan McGregor return to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and that became a reality when Lucasfilm announced a limited series centered on the beloved character. The show is less than a month away, and the anticipation is only building. The public has already seen some sweet footage (which even utilized “Duel of the Fates”). But now, on May the Fourth, fans have been gifted with a new trailer, which not only promises more trouble for McGregor’s character but also teases the return of Hayden Christensen’s Darth Vader. 

This new trailer from Disney+ provides a greater sense of urgency, as it emphasizes the fact that Obi-Wan, being a Jedi, is in grave danger due to the rise of the Empire’s Order of Inquisitors. With this, there are new shots of the Grand Inquisitor (played by heroic hype man Rupert Friend) as well as Moses Ingram’s Reva a.k.a. Third Sister. There are also a few additional peaks at Sung Kang’s dangerous Fifth Brother. 

And with the Empire present, you know Darth Vader isn’t too far behind. Near the end of the trailer, we get a few small glimpses of the Dark Lord of the Sith, as he suits up in his iconic armor. That’s enough to get one excited but, when you hear that heavy breathing, you’ll really get chills. It’s hard to say if that final shot of Kenobi is from the exact moment he reunites with his former pupil yet, even if it’s not, it’s more than effective here. Though the teases are brief, Vader’s presence looms large over the proceedings. You really get the feeling that what Reva yells to Obi-Wan is true. You can’t escape him.

These things all contribute to the grim reality in which the titular Jedi finds himself, and it appears he’ll have to contend with other threats as well. Ewan McGregor’s character can be seen taking on a droid and throwing down with goons in an unknown location. And interestingly enough, he’s doing this all without the Force or a lightsaber. Considering his circumstances, he’s likely refraining from using either, as he could end up outing himself. Needless to say, this is going to be the challenge of Obi-Wan’s life, and the whole ordeal could amount to the bleakest Star Wars story yet.

This trailer also provides some other interesting tidbits, including a bit of dialogue from Owen Lars, played by the returning Joel Edgerton. Those who’ve read Star Wars comics more than likely know that there was friction between Lars and Kenobi regarding young Luke Skywalker’s future. It’s great to see that series creator Deborah Chow is keeping that intact here. Elsewhere, we also get a brief glimpse at franchise newcomer Kumail Nanjiani, who has an undisclosed role in the project. I’m curious as to how this new face will figure into the story.

Based on this latest trailer, fans are in for a truly epic and emotional ride when it comes to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Emmy winner Ewan McGregor seems to have slipped back into the role with ease and should be more than game for what lies ahead.

Obi-Wan Kenobi will have its two-episode premiere on May 27, so be sure you have a Disney+ subscription so that you can tune in.

The Star Wars universe continues to expand, but can the same be said for Ewan McGregor's time playing Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi? While the role of Obi-Wan could have easily been recast, millennials will be pleased to know Ewan McGregor is back to pick up where he left off in the new Disney+ limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Now, ahead of the premiere, Ewan McGregor has shared whether or not he will continue to stick around the Star Wars universe.

The last time we saw Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan was 17 years ago when he battled his former apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, on Mustafar after Anakin led the assault on the Jedi Temple in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Once Obi-Wan left Anakin to die only to be rescued and transformed into Darth Vader, he delivered one of his two children, Luke, to his aunt and uncle on Tatooine. Obi-Wan has watched over Luke ever since. McGregor weighed in on his potential future in the galaxy far, far away to Total Film magazine (via CBR), saying:

When Ewan McGregor played Obi-Wan for the first time as a young apprentice in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, he needed inspiration to draw on to play the iconic character. Who better to be influenced by than the actor who originated the role, Alec Guinness? He said about reprising the role in the post-prequel trilogy era: 

Seeing Obi-Wan this time around may feel more like the Alec Guinness version that we saw in the original trilogy series as opposed to Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan as of the end of Revenge of the Sith. Ewan McGregor has said that he felt he would be more excited about making Obi-Wan Kenobi compared to the Star Wars prequels. After all, the Disney+ series will not be relying so much on the CGI the way George Lucas did for his movies. In this technology-centric world that we live in, we will look forward to seeing more practical movie magic as the original movies gave us. 

We can also expect “the rematch of a century” as Hayden Christensen will also return to the sci-fi miniseries. Both Christensen and McGregor have done their homework to ensure that they have all of the information they need from the Star Wars universe to accurately portray these characters again. Christensen’s great method of preparing was to binge-watch the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Rebels to further explore the relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin. The chemistry the two stars had in the prequel series is bound to appear for Obi-Wan Kenobi even if the two characters are now enemies. 

Let’s cross our fingers that the Star Wars universe will continue to use Ewan McGregor as our favorite Jedi master. With the Star Wars universe not stopping anytime soon, I’d say there’s a good chance. You can watch the six-episode miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi on your Disney+ subscription with the first two episodes premiering on May 27. 

There’s a lot for fans to be excited about when it comes to Obi-Wan Kenobi. The limited series (which will be accessible with a Disney+ subscription) brings back one of the franchise’s most beloved characters and thrusts him into a dangerous new adventure. The on-screen reunion between Ewan McGregor, who returns as Obi-Wan and Hayden Christensen, who reprises his role as Darth Vader, is also an exciting prospect. This has been a long time coming for both actors, and they seem to have taken their role reprisals very seriously. As a matter of fact, they both found great ways to prepare for their roles, which fans are sure to appreciate.

What makes Obi-Wan Kenobi’s story so unique is that it not only brings in characters and themes from the Prequel Trilogy but also utilizes concepts from the animated shows Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Rebels. Both series have added a considerable amount of content to the canon since the final prequel film, Revenge of the Sith, was released in 2005. That’s why Hayden Christensen opted to binge both programs before he started work on the upcoming live-action show, and it sounds like he found them to be relatively helpful:

Clone Wars, in particular, spent a great deal of time further fleshing out the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan. While the films mostly painted them as teacher and student, the animated show (overseen by producer Dave Filoni) drove home the brotherhood aspect of their bond. At this point, there’s been no official indication as to whether Hayden Christensen will also appear as Skywalker though, given the actor’s method of research, I’d say there’s a chance fans could see him play the role in a flashback or two. Regardless, I just admire the star’s diligence.

Ewan McGregor has been just as sharp when it comes to his own preparation. Sure, the actor reunited with his Jedi robes ahead of time and has pretended to be a Force-user in real life, but he did much more than that. Like his co-star, he spoke to EW, explaining that he revisited the prequel films . And of course, he looked to his iconic Obi-Wan predecessor for guidance: 

The Scottish actor has previously discussed how his work was influenced by Alec Guinness, who he studied before filming 1999’s The Phantom Menace. When it comes to this new project, the Down with Love alum hopes to maintain the qualities of his Obi-Wan while channeling elements of Guinness’. 

The reunion between Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen is certainly a treat (and apparently even surprised Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy). As special as it’ll be to see them share the screen, the experience should be even more satisfying for fans now that they have a better understanding of how much work the stars put in. In short, we’re here for passionate performers!

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s two-episode premiere hits Disney+ on Friday, May 27.

Of all the new original series that have come to Disney+, it’s possible none has been quite as highly anticipated as Obi-Wan Kenobi, the new Star Wars limited series that will see the return of Ewan McGregor in the title role. Fans have been waiting a long time for this one, and unfortunately they’re going to have to wait a bit longer, as the premiere date of Obi-Wan Kenobi has been pushed back from May 25 to May 27, but when the show does come, fans will be getting even more of it on day one.

In a video posted on the official Star Wars Twitter, Ewan McGregor himself announced that Obi-Wan Kenobi is seeing its premiere date pushed back. However, he also revealed that when May 27 comes along, Disney+ viewers will get access to not one, but two episodes of the show. McGregor says… 

Standard practice for Disney+ dramatic series has been to release episodes weekly rather than the “bingeable” format that we often see with other streaming services. Having said that, we have seen that format modified now and then. Hawkeye debuted on Disney+ last year in the same way, with the first two episodes hitting at once. Nobody is likely to complain about getting more of this new show on day one

The decision to move Obi-Wan Kenobi is interesting however. It’s only been shifted a couple of days, so it’s not like this decision was made for production reasons. And the May 25 date was significant, because it’s the day that the original Star Wars premiered back in 1977. It also means that Obi-Wan Kenobi is debuting the same day as Season 4 of Stranger Things on Netflix, and while competition doesn’t mean quite the same thing in the age of streaming, you can easily watch both on day one, it’s still curious.

There are a couple of other reasons the move may have been made, one is that Disney+ has found that Friday premiers work better than Wednesday. When Disney+ first launched, everything new came out on Fridays but in recent months we’ve seen new content hit on both Wednesdays and Fridays. Moon Knight just debuted on a Wednesday as one recent example. However, the entire Obi-Wan Kenobi series isn’t moving to Friday. Following the premiere, all other episodes will arrive as scheduled on Wednesdays. 

The other possibility is that this is being done because of Star Wars Celebration. The big convention is making its return this year, but Star Wars Celebration doesn’t start until May 26. By pushing the premier they can make the show’s launch part of the event, rather than seeing it premiere before the convention begins.

Whatever the reason, fans who have waited this long to see the return of Obi-Wan Kenobi can probably handle waiting a bit longer. It’s only a couple days, and we’ll get even more of the show once we make it to May 27.

With the beloved-by-some spinoff The Book of Boba Fett now in the distant-ish past, the Star Wars marketing machine is now focused on the impending arrival of Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Jedi’s first live-action trip to the small screen has sparked as much anticipation as any Star Wars project in the modern era, with many fans having clamored for Ewan McGregor to return to the role in the years after the prequel films. And with that return comes new franchise anecdotes from McGregor, who has revealed the hilariously perfect way he shows off his Jedi skills to the real world. 

Thankfully, the Obi-Wan Kenobi star confirms that he hasn’t used any of his Jedi Mind Trick powers on other people for his own nefarious purposes. (Though that’s just what a nefarious person WOULD say.) But the Emmy-winning actor did share that he’s utilized such mental dexterity when it comes to — what else? — automatic doors in public. Here’s how McGregor put it when talking to EW:

I’d wager that most people who get caught pretending to open an automatic door with a Star Wars reference might feel a little sheepish in the moment, and Ewan McGregor did say that it’s “kind of embarrassing” when it happens, but most people are not known for portraying one of the galaxy’s most powerful robe-wearers. And the actor spoke to that innate sense of perceived magic in the moment, saying:

By all means, Ewan McGregor shouldn’t feel any amount of shame in being seen pulling off such moves with automatic doors. In fact, he should then follow it up by waving the door closed again, and then opening it for someone else when they walk up. And why stop there? He should also use his Jedi ways to lower car windows, to move a vehicle through an automatic car wash, to make vending machine snacks fall down, to make elevator doors open, and the list goes on. 

We still have some months to go until Obi-Wan Kenobi arrives on May 25, a few weeks after Star Wars Day presumably gets fans even more hyped in some way. Hopefully with a compilation video of Star Wars actors pretending to open automatic doors with Jedi powers. Is it too much to ask? Oh, it is? Yeah, that makes sense.

At least the series finally released its first trailer, giving those with a Disney+ subscription an idea of what to expect. Although I don’t need any teasers to imagine the next time Obi-Wan and Darth Vader square off, and I can’t wait to see that sequence play out!

While waiting for Obi-Wan Kenobi to arrive on Disney+, be sure to check out all the other shows heading to the small screen soon with our 2022 TV premiere schedule.

Star Wars fans seem more than excited to revisit Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi through his eponymous show on Disney+. Based on that epic first trailer (which included John Williams’ “Duel of the Fates”), fans of the prequel trilogy are getting everything they could want. Though excitement is high, one thing that’s probably lingering in fans’ minds is the fact that the program’s run will be a bit more fixed than Lucasfilm’s other TV ventures. Unlike The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, it’s been billed as a limited series. Some may still be wondering if there’s any chance it could run longer, and the producers have now shared some thoughts.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is set to run for six episodes, which will follow the titular Jedi 10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith and 10 before A New Hope. In this new tale, he’ll travel from the desert planet of Tatooine to other galactic locales and contend with some villains (possessing Darth Vader connections) along the way. There’s seemingly a lot of story packed in here, though fans know there’s plenty of room for more to occur before Kenobi crosses paths with Luke Skywalker. On that note, director and executive producer Deborah Chow recently spoke about how she views the story she’s telling:

The Mandalorian alum’s comments seem to suggest that she sees it as a self-contained story. Fans may find pros and cons with this. The biggest pro is that viewers won’t have to worry about any kinds of cliffhangers, as all immediate plot threads will likely be wrapped up by the finale. A major con, however, would be that this could be the only new story planned for Ewan McGregor’s hero.

Though Deborah Chow is alluding to a more finite story, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy’s comments in the same EW cover story are somewhat less fixed. The veteran producer revealed that a potential second season is “certainly something we talk about.” She says that this is “mainly because everybody came together and had such an incredible time. Ewan had an incredible time. Hayden had an incredible time.” Even in the past, Kennedy has mentioned how she was “surprised” by how “excited” the two actors were to reunite. Despite that though, there’s a major condition regarding a proposed follow-up:

Lucasfilm’s creative braintrust seems to be proceeding with caution when it comes to any further adventures with Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan. It’s hard to deny how cool it would be to see more of him down the line. But if this is the actor’s last go-around as the fan-favorite hero, I’m sure Deborah Chow, Kathleen Kennedy and co. will ensure that he goes out with a bang.

Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres on May 25th, so fans will want to have that Disney+ subscription in order to see it. As you wait for its debut, also be sure to stay in the know on other upcoming Star Wars movies and shows and check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule.

This morning we’ve received the first real details of what is to come when the Obi-Wan Kenobi series debuts on Disney+, and that includes a first look at the character who will be a new antagonist of the series, Reva, the Inquisitor who is one of those hunting Obi-Wan. Actress Moses Ingram plays the role and she is describing an important connection between her character and two other known sources of evil,  The Grand Inquisitor and Darth Vader himself.

In the new EW cover story we get our first look at Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi in this new adventure set between the prequels and the original trilogy. We are also introduced to Reva, who is described as a “ruthlessly ambitious" character. Reva, it seems will make up part of a triumvirate of evil, as Ingram explains Reva, Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisitor will be working closely together. Ingram says...

The Inquisitors were, like so many elements of modern Star Wars established in the animated Star Wars series. In Star Wars: Rebels we were introduced to this group of Force Sensitive assassins that work for the Emperor and are primarily tasked with hunting down any Jedi that were able to survive the purge of Order 66. 

Reva is already an interesting character because she has a name of her own. Most of the Inquisitors that we’ve met, other than the Grand Inquisitor, have names like Sixth Brother or Second Sister, but Reva is apparently just Reva.

Although, the name itself is also somewhat interesting. The name Reva is awfully close to Revan, the name of the main character of the Knights of the Old Republic video game. Revan was a Sith Lord who got amnesia, and in the game players were able to see him/her trained as a Jedi. The name could be more of an easter egg than an intentional reference but Revan’s existence is part of modern Star Wars canon, so it’s possible this name has meaning.

The existence of the Grand Inquisitor in Obi-Wan Kenobi also gives us some information about the series, as the character, who will be played in live-action by Rupert Friend, after being voiced by Jason Isaacs in on Rebels, died at the end of the first season of the animated show, so these events are taking place prior to that.

And of course, we also know that Darth Vader will return for this series as well, and that it will mark the return to the Star Wars franchise of Hayden Christensen. Watching these three Dark Side characters working together should be interesting, as teamwork is not usually something that the Sith are known for.

The still images and details released today are great, but fans are mostly excited about the trailer, which was released yesterday during the Disney stockholder meeting. Even with these new details there’s still a lot about this show we don’t know, and many other actors playing characters who have yet to be revealed.  

Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Star Wars shows yet. The limited series will see Ewan McGregor reprise his role as the beloved Jedi, and he’ll be surrounded by a supporting cast that includes a plethora of new faces. Well, if a new rumor is to be believed, the show is adding another newcomer to the galaxy far, far away. And if that weren’t exciting enough, they’ll allegedly be playing a fan-favorite character from the animated series Star Wars Rebels. 

Rupert Friend has allegedly joined the cast of Obi-Wan Kenobi and, per The Bespin Bulletin’s report, the actor will be playing the role of the villainous Grand Inquisitor. The site’s sources claim that Friend was seen sporting white makeup while on the set, which would line up with the character’s look. In addition, the site alleges that at least three other Inquisitors will be appearing on the show as well, which is a rumor that’s been circulating for months now.

Some may know Rupert Friend best for his performance as Peter Quinn on Showtime’s hit espionage thriller Homeland. During his stint on the show, he picked up Primetime Emmy and SAG nominations. When it comes to the big screen, he’s starred in notable films like the 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and last year’s Infinite, which starred Mark Wahlberg. But his most high-profile action role may be his turn as the titular assassin in Hitman: Agent 47. There’s no question that Friend has the credentials, based on his body of work and, if this rumor (which should be taken with a grain of salt) be true, he’d make a strong fit for the vicious character.

Who Exactly Is The Grand Inquisitor?

The Grand Inquisitor was formally introduced to Star Wars canon in the first season of Rebels in 2014. An agent of the Galactic Empire, the ruthless warrior was tasked with hunting down remaining Jedi after the events of Revenge of the Sith. The character would eventually come into conflict with the Ghost crew and, by the series finale, he engaged in a lightsaber duel with Kanan Jarrus, who ended up defeating him once and for all. The character returned briefly in Season 2, however, where it was revealed that he was actually a fallen Jedi, who had appeared in The Clone Wars.

On Rebels, the Inquisitor was voiced by Harry Potter alum Jason Issacs, who previously spoke about the possibility of reprising his role for a live-action production. Issacs stated that he was “open to anything,” although he doubted he’d have the patience to work with any makeup or prosthetics needed for the portrayal. But I suppose, if this rumor is true, then that won’t be much of a concern for the fan-favorite actor.

There’s Evidence To Support This New Obi-Wan Kenobi Rumor

As mentioned, there have been reports that other members of the Emperor’s Inquisitorius will appear on Obi-Wan Kenobi. The cast member who’s been heavily linked to one of these roles is Fast & Furious alum Sung Kang. In an interview conducted last year, he let it slip that his character possesses a lightsaber. He also mentioned that there’s “a sexual deliciousness” to the role. I don’t know about any of you, but I can see the suave actor playing a dangerous and charming Jedi hunter. Plus, given the overall prevalence of Inquisitors during this period in the franchise’s history, it would make sense that they would play a role in the limited series.

Fans will just have to wait and see if all of these rumors turn out to be true, though. If they are, viewers are in for a wild ride, one that will surely push Ewan McGregor’s seasoned Jedi master to his limits. 

An official release date has yet to be announced for Obi-Wan Kenobi, though rumors point to the show being released in May. You’ll want to be sure to have a Disney+ subscription, so you can tune in. And be on the lookout for other upcoming Star Wars shows, and take a look at CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule for more on what’s coming your way this year.

It’s fair to say that Star Wars fans currently have more than they can ask for when it comes to TV content. The Mandalorian has been a dominant force in the streaming realm since its debut in 2019, and its spinoff, The Book of Boba Fett has also captured viewers’ attention, especially after that latest episode. And there are plenty of other shows on the way, with Obi-Wan Kenobi being one of the most highly anticipated productions on the docket. With that, fans have been eager to receive word on the show’s release date, but Disney+ has yet to make an announcement. However, due to a recent development, we may, at the very least, know the month in which it’ll drop. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi originally began production back in the spring of 2021 and, by September of that year, Ewan McGregor, who reprises the titular role, confirmed that filming had wrapped. So it was a pretty safe bet that the show would arrive sometime in 2022, yet it’s been hard to pinpoint exactly when it might premiere. Disney+ Enterprise/Global Program Manager Brandon SanGiovanni may have just let the cat out of the bag, though. In a now-deleted tweet captured by The Direct, the exec stated that the fan-favorite Jedi would be arriving on the streamer this coming May. 

This purported release month has also been backed up by another source. Since the tweet was deleted, THR reports that its sources have corroborated the rumor. Of course, as the trade mentioned, this still has to be made official by the streaming service itself. However, there’s also another piece of evidence that would suggest that May will be the landing date for the Star Wars show. 

This past week, Marvel Comics confirmed that a new limited series centered on the character of Obi-Wan Kenobi will begin in May. The five-issue run, written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Ario Anindito, will tackle the protagonist’s last days on the desert planet Tatooine. Through the character’s journal entries, which were first glimpsed in Marvel’s past Star Wars series, some of his earlier adventures will also be highlighted. Well, I don’t know about all of you, but having such a series release at that time doesn’t seem like sheer coincidence.

It should also be noted that the comic book series shares one key attribute with the upcoming TV show. The Disney+ series also follows the Jedi Master during his time on Tatooine though, here, he’ll be 10 years into his 20-year stint on the planet. Fans will see the aging warrior watching over Luke Skywalker, before he’s thrust into a new adventure. Ewan McGregor will be joined by a star-studded cast that includes the likes of Marvel lead Kumail Nanjiani, Fast & Furious star Sung Kang and Game of Thrones alum Indira Varma. But of course, fans are likely most excited by the fact that Hayden Christensen is reprising his role as Darth Vader. 

Ewan McGregor himself seems to have had a good time working on the production. Ahead of filming, the actor opened up about reuniting with his Jedi robes. His subsequent talk about seeing Darth Vader and other interesting sights on set was lso enough to make anyone jealous. But all in all, for McGregor, the “most beautiful” thing about working on the show is being reunited with Hayden Christensen, with whom he starred alongside in the three prequel films.

The wait for the show has certainly been long but, should this report pan out to be true, fans will only have to wait a few more months before they can hear Obi-Wan cheekily say “hello there” once more. There are plenty of reasons to be excited, so let’s hope it all lives up to the hype. 

Be sure to keep up to date on Obi-Wan Kenobi and other upcoming Star Wars TV shows that are arriving in the near future. And if you’d like to check them out when they premiere, you’ll want to grab a Disney+ subscription.

In December 2003, audiences around the world were introduced to the fantastical story and over-the-top characters of Big Fish. What some will call the best Tim Burton movie, this fantasy dramedy about a man learning to appreciate his father and his form of storytelling before it’s too late, features some of the best actors of the time and continues to enchant viewers of all ages.

But, nearly 20 years have past since we first watched a man catch a catfish with a wedding ring, visit an idyllic town hidden in the forest, and change the lives of countless people, and it’s safe to say you are probably wondering what the Big Fish cast is up to. Here is the answer to your question…

Ewan McGregor (Young Edward Bloom)

In Big Fish, Ewan McGregor plays the younger version of the Edward Bloom, the charismatic storyteller whose life journey was the stuff of legend. Already a major force in Hollywood by the time he worked with Tim Burton in the fantastical drama (the movie came out just one year after the release of Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones), McGregor has only become a bigger star in the years following its release.

All in the last five years, Ewan McGregor has appeared on Fargo, continued his globe-trotting motorcycle adventure docuseries with Long Way Up, and portrayed a grown-up Danny Torrance in Doctor Sleep. McGregor will return to the “galaxy far, far away” when he leads the upcoming Disney+ series, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Albert Finney (Old Edward Bloom)

The beloved legend of film, television, and the theatre, Albert Finney, took on the role of the older version of Edward Bloom in Big Fish, and brought with him decades of experience. The two-time Golden Globe winner continued to show up in movies like Ocean’s Twelve, The Bourne Ultimatum, and Skyfall before stepping away from acting in 2012. Finney passed away in February 2019 at the age of 82.

Billy Crudup (Will Bloom)

Taking on the role of Will Bloom in the Big Fish cast is Billy Crudup. In the years since playing the once-dismissive son of Edward Bloom, Crudup has gone on to appear in movies like Spotlight, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League (he previously worked with the director for Watchmen). 

Billy Crudup received a great deal of praise for his portrayal of Cory Ellison on the Apple TV+ original series The Morning Show, including a Primetime Emmy and Critics Choice Award in 2020.

Jessica Lange (Sandra Bloom)

Two-time Academy Award winner Jessica Lange portrays Sandra Bloom through much of Big Fish. The star of movies like Tootsie, Blue Sky, and Cape Fear, Lange has continued to appear on the big screen in recent years with movies like The Gambler, Wild Oats, and the upcoming Marlowe.

Over the course of the past decade, Jessica Lange has been a major player on the FX horror anthology series, American Horror Story, appearing on five of the show’s seasons since its debut in 2011. 

Alison Lohman (Sandra Bloom)

Alison Lohman, who broke out with her role in the 2002 drama, White Oleander, portrays the younger version of Sandra Bloom in Big Fish. Lohman followed up the Tim Burton film with movies like Matchstick Men, Beowulf, and Drag Me To Hell through the first decade of the 21st Century.

Upon stepping away from professional acting after marrying filmmaker Mark Neveldine in 2009, Alison Lohman began to spend her time raising her children, as well as serving as an online acting coach, a service she continues to offer to this day.

Marion Cotillard (Joséphine)

Marion Cotillard was already a sensation in her native France but started to break through with American audiences with her take on the character Joséphine Bloom in Big Fish. In the years following the film’s release, Cotillard appeared in Inception, Contagion, The Dark Knight Rises, and Macbeth, to name only a few.

More recently, Marion Cotillard has appeared in movies like Dolittle and Annette, and will soon join the star-studded cast of the Apple TV+ anthology series Extrapolations.

Helena Bonham Carter (Jenny/The Witch)

Helena Bonham Carter takes on two roles in Big Fish: Spectre resident Jenny and the Witch who showed a young Edward Bloom how he would die. In the years following the film’s release, Bonham Carter went on to land the role of Bellatrix Lestrange in the final four Harry Potter movies, and work more recently in Ocean’s 8 and Enola Holmes.

The versatile actress also found success on television, with one her most notable performances being that of Princes Margaret on the third and fourth seasons of The Crown. Helena Bonham Carter appeared on the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special in early 2022, where she had a memorable encounter with Daniel Radcliffe.

Danny DeVito (Amos Calloway)

Amos Calloway, the circus ringmaster (and werewolf) in Big Fish, is portrayed by the versatile Danny DeVito. The Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award winner has an extensive filmography to say the very least, including a great number of film and television appearances in recent years.

One of the leads of long-running comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which released its 15th season in late 2021, Danny DeVito has appeared in movies like Dumbo, Jumanji: The Next Level, and The One and Only Ivan over the past few years, with more movies on the way, like Haunted Mansion and Sniff.

Robert Guillaume (Dr. Bennett)

The late Robert Guillaume appeared as one of the major supporting characters, Dr. Bennett, in Big Fish. The Primetime Emmy and Tony Award winner passed away in October 2017 at the age of 89, per Deadline, leaving behind a legacy in film, television, and theatre. His list of credits range from the sitcom Soap to Aaron Sorkin's Sports Night and the 1994 animated smash hit, The Lion King, and even the 2004 video game, Half-Life 2.

Matthew McGrory (Karl The Giant)

Matthew McGrory portrayed the gentle and misunderstood Karl the Giant in Big Fish, which was a far stretch from the characters the actor played before and after. Due to his large stature, McGrory worked in mostly horror movies like House of 1000 Corpses and The Devils Rejects, and fantasy shows like Charmed and Carnivale. Saddly, McGrory passed away in August 2005 at the age of 32, according to the New York Times.

Steve Buscemi (Norther Winslow)

Taking on the role of the poet-turned-millionaire Norther Winslow in Big Fish is Steve Buscemi. One of the best character actors by the time he appeared in Tim Burton’s beloved classic, Buscemi has continued to find success in just about everything he does, whether it's as an actor or director.

Since 2019, Steve Buscemi has had one of the lead roles on the TBS anthology comedy series Miracle Workers, has appeared on Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, and even showed up on an episode of Rick and Morty. He will next appear in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Ada Tai and Arlene Tai (Ping and Jing)

Sisters Ada and Arlene Tai appear in Big Fish as the conjoined twins Ping and Jing, but unlike their characters, they are not physically attached at the hip (though they work extensively together). The sisters last appeared on film in 2014, when they were featured in the short film The First Minute. The sisters currently own and operate the Los Angeles-based interior design company A&A Design Firm.

Loudon Wainwright III (Beamen)

Taking on the role of Spectre mayor, Beamen, in Big Fish is Loudon Wainwright III, the accomplished singer-songwriter who has also made several appearances in movies and television shows throughout his career. His most recent acting credit was the 2018 murder mystery series Mosaic, though he continues to release music, like the 2020 studio album I’d Rather Lead a Band.

David Denman (Don Price)

Don Price, Edward Bloom’s friend-turned-enemy in Big Fish, is played by David Denman, who most will recognize as the despicable Roy Anderson on The Office. Denman continues to be busy in Hollywood with movies like Brighburn and Greenland both having been released in the past few years. In 2021, Denman was featured in the main cast of the HBO dramatic limited series, Mare of Easttown.

Deep Roy (Mr. Soggybottom)

Taking on the role of Amos Calloway’s assistant and most-trusted friend, Mr. Soggybottom, in Big Fish is Deep Roy. The actor, stuntman, and puppeteer has appeared in dozens of movies over the years, including Star Trek, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Hook, and even Return of the Jedi. Roy’s most recent feature film appearance was in 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, though he does stay rather busy with his booming Tik Tok account.

Missi Pyle (Mildred)

Missi Pyle appears in Big Fish as Mildred, one of the residents of Spectre who had an impact on Edward Bloom. Throughout her career, Pyle has made appearances on shows like Drunk History, Dirty John, and most recently, Y: The Last Man. Her most recent movie appearance was in the 2019 psychological drama Ma.

Well, hopefully this helps you make sense of the massive Big Fish cast. And, who knows, maybe we’ll see those familiar faces in some of the upcoming 2022 new movie releases.