A new joint Volkswagen Disney+ commercial, featuring R2-D2, C-3PO, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, promotes both VW’s new electric vehicle and the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries. Since the 1977 film that launched the Star Wars franchise, these three characters have made a permanent mark on pop culture. Obi-Wan is a Jedi Master who mentors Luke Skywalker and sacrifices himself to Darth Vader, while C-3PO and R2-D2 are intelligent droids that the human characters interact with.
Disney+ is revisiting the beloved Star Wars universe for its upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries, directed by Deborah Chow and produced by Lucasfilm. Set ten years after Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, the show features Obi-Wan watching over a young Luke Skywalker. Ewan McGregor is resuming his role as the titular character, while also being credited as an executive producer on the show. Obi-Wan Kenobi is premiering on Disney+ on Friday, May 27, and there’s been a great deal of excitement building up in anticipation of its release, as fans are curious about what approach the show will take. Chow has hinted that Obi-Wan Kenobi is similar to Joker or Logan, as it will be more character-driven than other titles in the franchise.
Volkswagen joins in on the Obi-Wan Kenobi hype, releasing an ad in collaboration with Lucasfilm to promote their new electric vehicle, ID. Buzz. The commercial takes place on the set of Obi-Wan Kenobi, opening with R2-D2 discovering the ID. Buzz. C-3PO shows up and tells R2-D2 that, while the car may seem like it, it isn’t a droid. But when the car’s headlights light up, C-3PO tells R2-D2 that the car is smiling. When it begins to drive away, viewers see in the rearview mirror that it’s McGregor who’s been operating the vehicle, albeit not in his Obi-Wan Kenobi costume. Check out the commercial and accompanying tweet below:
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Volkswagen has collaborated with the Star Wars franchise before - in 2019, Porsche (which is part of the Volkswagen group) designed a starship in conjunction with the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, though it was not featured in the movie. Now, McGregor is an official brand ambassador for Volkswagen, sharing that he has loved Volkswagens since he was a boy and owned his first VW car at age 16. It’s clear that the automotive company is working to position their new electric vehicle as futuristic and almost intelligent, the way C-3PO and R2-D2 are, so their work with Star Wars characters is helping them create that impression.
Whether viewers of the commercial will choose to purchase an ID. Buzz or not, the ad is sure to bring even more attention to Obi-Wan Kenobi. There have been many rumors circulating about what will occur in the show’s six episodes, including a theory that the Inquisitors will hunt Obi-Wan, but McGregor himself has debunked most Obi-Wan Kenobi fan theories. While many are excited about seeing a beloved character take center stage in his own show, some are tired of seeing the same cast members featured repeatedly, and wish that the franchise would focus on some fresher characters. Tune in to Obi-Wan Kenobi on May 27 to see how the miniseries turns out.
Source: Volkswagen/Twitter
