Obi-Wan TV show on Disney Plus has finished filming – so what can we expect?

Obi-Wan Kenobi logo
(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Obi-Wan Kenobi star Ewan McGregor has confirmed that filming has wrapped on the Disney Plus TV series – so what surprises lie ahead for audiences?

Speaking after his Emmy award win for his role in Netflix show Halston, McGregor told Variety that principal photography had ended on the forthcoming Star Wars spin-off series.

McGregor also said that he hoped that the TV show "would not disappoint" when it arrives next year. Of course, the Scottish actor wouldn't spoil anything about the series ahead of release, but what else can we gather from his few comments on the project?

The first thing to note is that McGregor confirms the Obi-Wan show has utilized the same technology that recent Star Wars TV series have done – something he's discussed in the past, though here he compares that to the making the prequel movies. 

Speaking specifically about the StageCraft video wall technology, which employs HD video wall screens to generate CGI backdrops, McGregor said: "The new technology we employed doing it is cool, and it was a different experience than making the original three films that I did.”

The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2, as well as upcoming Star Wars spin-off The Book of Boba Fett, used this revolutionary VFX tech (also known as The Volume) during their respective productions. It creates a more immersive sense of place for the actors, and removes the need for pricey location shoots. 

Likewise, Obi-Wan's solo adventure utilizes StageCraft, which is a marked departure from the use of green screen technology in McGregor's Star Wars prequel trilogy. A common criticism of Star Wars episodes one through three was their overreliance on CGI components and, given the success that Disney and LucasFilm have had with StageCraft in the past few years, it's unsurprising that Obi-Wan's show has made use of it, too.

That's not the only thing McGregor said about the show, though. On a more minor note, the actor also explained that filming the series was "really good fun" based on the "really wonderful people" that he worked alongside.

That no doubt includes the likes of showrunner Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian, Reign), as well as Star Wars alumni, such as Hayden Christensen, who reprises his role as Darth Vader from the prequel trilogy.

However, one individual whose character hasn't been officially been revealed yet is Sung Kang, who famously portrays Han Lue in the Fast and Furious franchise.

Back in March, Kang was confirmed to appear in the Obi-Wan Disney Plus show when the series' main cast was revealed. However, aside from McGregor, Christensen, Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse (the latter two will play Luke Skywalker's uncle and aunt, parts they played in Revenge of the Sith), Kang and his co-stars' roles haven't been made public yet.

However, that hasn't stopped Kang from teasing his character ahead of schedule. And, by the sounds of it, he could be a very important ally of (or antagonist to) McGregor's Obi-Wan.

Speaking to ScreenRant about his role in the show, Kang revealed: "I kept pinching myself to go, 'How did I end up here?' and, my character has a lightsaber, to go, 'What? This is.. It's not a toy. It's actually the real thing, right?' so pretty cool."

It's the mention of his character being in possession of a lightsaber that's of most interest. There have been rumors that Kang's character would wield the iconic weapon in Obi-Wan's TV show, but this is the clearest indication yet that he will do.

This, though, raises more questions. Is Kang's character a Jedi? If so, how did he survive Order 66? And will Obi-Wan enlist his help to keep a young Luke Skywalker safe from Darth Vader and the Empire?

Alternatively, is Kang one of Vader's minions who is sent to track Obi-Wan down and kill him? If that's the case, will we see some epic lightsaber duels between McGregor and Kang? Or will we only get one or two fights throughout the show's six episodes?

Whoever Kang portrays, he's sure to provide an interesting foil to Obi-Wan. It would be highly intriguing to see another lightsaber-wielding individual enter the fray, particularly if he turns out to be a Jedi. We know that Obi-Wan wasn't the only Jedi to survive Order 66 (Yoda did so, too, as well as Ahsoka Tano) so it's entirely possible that Kang plays another. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi as seen in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

(Image credit: © LucasFilm 2021)

Our view? Kang is likely to be a fellow Jedi. Pitting Obi-Wan against up to three Sith Lords (Darth Maul was also rumored to be returning back in February) would be too many villains for Obi-Wan to face off against in six episodes. For that reason alone, we predict Kang will play a good guy.

As for what else we could see in the series, it would be cool to see the show explore more of Obi-Wan's psyche post-Order 66. It's a certainty that he'll have been mentally scarred by those traumatic events, so it would be fun if the show explored whether he's recovered (partially or fully) in the decade since then.

Historically, Star Wars has examined darker themes and tones, but the franchise's TV spin-offs have been a bit more family friendly than their movie counterparts. We'd like to see Obi-Wan's TV series lean into more mature territory, so taking a deeper dive into Obi-Wan's inner workings, and attempts to deal with Order 66's fallout, would go some way to linking the prequel movies to the original trilogy.

Exploring Obi-Wan's mental state would tie into his comments about the series being "a different experience". Sure, that quote more likely references how the show was shot, but what if it's a hint towards the themes that Obi-Wan's show explores, particularly concerning its protagonist? It would shed new light on a character that audiences already know well, and give the now Emmy-winning McGregor something new to sink his teeth into.

Regardless of what you infer from McGregor's answer, it won't be long (hopefully) before we find out for sure. Obi-Wan is expected to launch exclusively on Disney Plus in 2022 and, with filming having wrapped, we suspect it'll land later next year.

TOPICS
Senior Entertainment Reporter

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.

Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.

Read more
Cassian Andor piloting a TIE Avenger in Andor season 2
Andor season 2: release date, trailer, confirmed cast, plot synopsis, and more news on the highly-rated Star Wars show's return
Fern standing next to a lightsaber-wielding Wim in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew episode 8
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew ending explained: is Jod a Jedi, is there a post-credits scene, will there be a season 2, and your biggest questions answered
Cassian looking at someone off-camera from a TIE fighter cockpit in Andor season 2
Andor season 2 trailer teases Orson Krennic and K-2SO's return, the Death Star's creation, an absurd amount of action and... a Star Wars dance number?
Imperial droid holds Cassian Andor up against a wall.
Andor is the best Star Wars TV show on Disney+ and leaves Rebels, Clone Wars and Skeleton Crew eating space dust
Fern, Wim, Neel, and KB with a bright light shining on them in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Skeleton Crew's season 2 chances don't look great, but the Star Wars show's creators are 'happy to make more' if it is renewed
Daredevil standing in a dimly-lit room in Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again season 1: release date, trailer, confirmed cast, plot synopsis, and more news on the Marvel TV show
Latest in Disney Plus
Diego Luna looks questioningly at the back of someone's head as Cassian Andor in the show Andor
Disney+ is making Andor free to stream on YouTube, and now you have no excuse not to watch the best Star Wars show
Matt Murdock and Kirsten McDuffie standing in a court room in Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again episode 3 contains another Marvel reference to Spider-Man, but it's got nothing to do with Tom Holland's Peter Parker
Hector Ayala sitting on a bed as he wears his White Tiger costume in Daredevil: Born Again season 1
Daredevil: Born Again episode 3's shocking White Tiger moment just set the stage for The Punisher's debut in the Marvel TV show, and I can't wait for it to happen
Mufasa is joined by another lion, a monkey and a bird in this promotional image
Mufasa: The Lion King prowls onto Disney+ as it finally gets a streaming release date
A costumed Matt Murdock smiles at someone off-camera in Netflix's Daredevil TV show
Daredevil: Born Again is Disney+'s biggest series of 2025 so far, but another Marvel TV show has performed even better
Matt Murdock holding a phone to his right ear in a prison in Daredevil: Born Again episode 2
What time is Daredevil: Born Again episode 3 going to be released on Disney+?
Latest in News
Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing
Google Pixel 9a benchmark link teases the performance of the upcoming mid-ranger
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #1148)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #379)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #645)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over