Obi-Wan Kenobi solo film is in the making
|
18 Aug – After years of speculations and rumours, an Obi-Wan Kenobi solo film might just really be happening.
The Hollywood Reporter stated that Stephen Daldry, the Oscar-nominated helmer behind "Billy Elliot" and "The Reader", is currently in early talks to direct a "Star Wars" stand-alone movie centring on the wise Jedi who was once the mentor of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.
All talks are at their earliest stages and no script has been made for the project. However, if a deal is made, Daldry will most likely be overseeing the development and writing with Lucasfilm.
Since acquiring the "Star Wars" franchise and Lucasfilm for a staggering USD4 billion, Disney has expressed their desire to launch a line of separate "Star Wars" movies, apart from the established trilogies following the Skywalker family.
Following the release of "Rogue One" in 2016, a Han Solo movie – now in its final stages of shooting under new director Ron Howard – is set to hit theatres next year. Words are also circling that the production company is considering movies focused on Yoda and Boba Fett, the bounty hunter.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is known to fans as the legendary Jedi knight, who was hunted down and killed when the Galactic Republic crumbled and became the Empire.
Alec Guinness' portrayal of the older Kenobi in the original 1977 "Star Wars" movie has earned him an Oscar nomination, while Ewan McGregor who played the young Kenobi in the prequels has previously expressed his interest in playing the role again.
"There's no official offer, and I haven't met them about it or anything.
"But I've always said that I'd be happy to do it if they wanted to do it. It would be a good segue between the last episode of the prequels and the new episodes. I think they've got films to make until the 2020s, so I don't think it's going to happen soon if it happens at all," he said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly earlier this year.
However, since there is no script, no actor has been attached to the current Obi Wan Kenobi project.
Daldry has scored three Oscar nominations for directing "Billy Elliot", "The Hours" and "The Reader". His most recent work "The Crown" can be seen on Netflix, chronicling the life of Queen Elizabeth II, and he is also currently attached to helm the screen adaption of "Wicked".
