Written By Mikey Sutton • Editor-in-Chief • Owner
Liam Neeson will be wielding the Force again on Disney Plus. According to Small Screen, Neeson has signed to reprise his Star Wars role as Qui-Gon Jinn in Obi-Wan Kenobi, the upcoming live-action Star Wars TV series on the streaming network.
Neeson played the Jedi Master Jinn in the 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Neeson’s performance was considered among the redeeming qualities of the movie, which which was slammed by critics and fans. He was even nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Actor.
However, Jinn was killed at the end of The Phantom Menace so his ability to elevate the material was sadly short-lived. Nevertheless, Jinn continued to be a popular figure, regularly appearing in Star Wars novels, comic books, and video games. Neeson also voiced Jinn in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated TV show.
Kenobi is currently filming in the U.K. Ewan McGregor is returning as the title character. The show is set ten years after the events of 2005’s Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Hayden Christensen was already officially announced to come back as Darth Vader.
Given that Jinn perished in The Phantom Menace, Neeson will most likely appear in flashback sequences. A source told Small Screen that, “Honestly, I’m not 100 per cent certain on how they’ll bring the character back. It sounds like it’ll be in a flashback sequence, yet they could also be thinking of bringing him back as a Force Ghost.”
In whatever context Lucasfilm chooses, Neeson will have the opportunity to play a character that has become a beloved figure.
Insiders I know revealed that Neeson’s participation in Kenobi could lead to a show of his own on Disney Plus. There is artistic and commercial potential that Lucasfilm could further invest in.
Source: Small Screen