On May the 4th, Star Wars fans celebrated with the re-release of “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” for its 25th anniversary. Despite being over two decades old, the film’s return to theaters was a success, grossing over $8 million at the box office. It even landed second place domestically.
Ewan McGregor, known for his iconic role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, surprised attendees at a screening of The Phantom Menace over the weekend. McGregor, pictured in the photo below, addressed the crowd from the stage, microphone in hand.
Ewan McGregor has attended a screening for ‘THE PHANTOM MENACE’ re-release.
(via: @StarWarsExplain) pic.twitter.com/JPmhFOeM0D
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 5, 2024
Ewan McGregor debuted as a young Obi-Wan in 1999, succeeding Sir Alec Guinness who had introduced the character in 1977’s Star Wars. He reprised the role in the prequel trilogy. In 2022, he returned, bridging the prequel and original trilogies for a limited series on Disney+.
Star Wars enthusiasts have eagerly anticipated Ewan McGregor’s return since the debut of the popular series, given his deep affection for the role.
Ewan McGregor has long expressed a desire to reprise his role as Obi-Wan in a subsequent season, but has yet to receive confirmation from Lucasfilm or Disney. Despite this, McGregor remains hopeful and believes there is ample time to explore additional Obi-Wan stories before he reaches Alec Guinness’s age in “A New Hope.”
The Phantom Menace continues its theatrical run and streams on Disney+ with the rest of the Star Wars franchise.