The child actor for young Luke Skywalker in the upcoming Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi was reportedly recast following an extensive rewrite prior to production. The highly anticipated show will see Ewan McGregor return as Obi-Wan for the first time since 2005’s Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith. A project that has been reportedly in the works for several years following Disney’s acquisition of the Star Wars IP in 2012, the Kenobi solo-project will bridge the gap between the bittersweet ending of the prequel trilogy and the appearance of Alec Guinness’ original Ben Kenobi in 1977’s Star Wars.
After years of rumor and anticipation, the McGregor-led show is finally set to debut on Disney+ as a miniseries, akin to the company’s recent The Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett shows. The first Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer released earlier this month and sees the former Jedi Master being drawn out of hiding when Inquisitors, including Star Wars: Rebels’ Grand Inquisitor (played in live-action by Rupert Friend) come hunting for surviving Jedi. The trailer also teased the return of Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader, who was recently revealed to have replaced Ray Park’s Darth Maul as the primary antagonist following an extensive rewrite.
In addition to these revelations, THR reports that the role of young Luke Skywalker in Obi-Wan Kenobi was recast as a result of the changes. Luke appears in the new trailer, being watched by Obi-Wan from afar while he plays on the Lars’ homestead. According to reports, the “overhaul” during production “led to a new search for a young Luke Skywalker.” Supposedly, the changes to the story paired with the delays in production meant that the original actor was either too old or not a good fit for the new storyline. Either way, Skywalker will appear (though apparently with a smaller role than originally intended), and he is portrayed by child actor Grant Feely.
The rewrites for Obi-Wan Kenobi are an interesting topic, with reports suggesting the story was changed in part due to similarities with The Mandalorian. The upcoming show was reportedly once more focused on the protector-dynamic between Obi-Wan and Luke. Elsewhere, fans have reacted with mixed feelings about the appearance of the fan-favorite Star Wars villain the Grand Inquisitor in the new trailer, with many feeling his appearance didn’t resemble the animated series enough.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is primed to be hugely successful for Disney+, with Star Wars fans waiting years for a rematch between McGregor and Christensen. While the Darth Vader story is exciting many, some fans were upset to learn they’re missing out on more Darth Maul action, but the door is always open for expansion of his character - including the open-ended Crimson Dawn storyline introduced in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Luke’s appearance in the show may be less substantial than originally planned, but prospective viewers will likely agree that that’s probably the safer option, so as not to contradict or subtract from the mystique of the original movies. While the original actor for Luke may never be revealed, Feely is now officially part of the Star Wars universe and he is a welcome addition to the journey of the beloved hero Luke Skywalker.
Source: THR
