For those of you who were disappointed to see Hayden Christensen reprise his role as Anakin in The Rise of Skywalker for a mere voice cameo, the House of Mouse is finally going to make amends by including him in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney Plus, and the internet is freaking out over the surprise announcement.
Given the increasing love for George Lucas’ Prequel Trilogy in the past couple of years, Disney finally had to start acknowledging the era after The Last Jedi turned into the most divisive movie in the franchise’s history and Solo: A Star Wars Story bombed at the box office. And the change in attitude worked out like a charm. In fact, despite the shortcomings of the last two films in the Skywalker Saga, the Star Wars fatigue seems to be all but over thanks to Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Dave Filoni’s The Clone Wars.
If last night’s numerous announcements are anything to go by, though, Lucasfilm wishes to continue this tradition in the form of several movies and TV shows, one of which is the highly anticipated Obi-Wan, featuring the return of Ewan McGregor as the titular Jedi Master. More interesting still, Hayden Christensen will also reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker, or Darth Vader, to be more precise.
As you’d expect, the news is enough to drive Star Wars fans wild, many of whom have taken to social media to celebrate the announcement.
I’M SO HAPPY THIS MAN IS COMING BACK!!!! 😭😭😭#HaydenChristensen pic.twitter.com/pSKpQDQnb4
— Kareena (@DigitalbleachBB) December 11, 2020
good morning to hayden christensen and ewan mcgregor, and hayden christensen and ewan mcgregor only. pic.twitter.com/iQSSeB5aii
— jess (@jesskuuuh) December 11, 2020
The Prodigal Son has returned!!🤯#HaydenChristensen pic.twitter.com/4jgVBP0M0g
— Black Heroes (@BlackHeroes5) December 11, 2020
And to hear that the bae #HaydenChristensen will return as Vader for Obi-Wan Kenobi… I’m screaming! pic.twitter.com/TOVoEuE2pE
— Merlin (@MRLNwisp) December 11, 2020
I’ve been waiting for them to announce Hayden coming back to Star Wars for so long I don’t even know how to process the news #stanakin #HaydenChristensen pic.twitter.com/1u3EiT9Yu6
— Morgane (@miuxo) December 11, 2020
https://twitter.com/artbyplk/status/1337323224879648769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1337323224879648769%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fstarwars%2Fnews%2Fstar-wars-hayden-christensen-darth-vader-obi-wan-kenobi-series-reactions%2F
What’s great about them bringing #HaydenChristensen back is that he gets to prove his detractors wrong, and I reckon they will have him becoming more and more injured as the show goes on. We will see his transformation from RotS to RotJ Anakin!
How much more will Kenobi inflict? pic.twitter.com/cTXwWPcr68— Christmas Movie Geek 🎄 (@UltMovieGeek) December 11, 2020
I hope in the #Ahsoka show we could get #HaydenChristensen as force ghost Anakin talking to Ahsoka. It'd be the coolest thing seeing Anakin and Ahsoka in one scene in live action. Come on @starwars @Disney please make this happen. pic.twitter.com/7ZaqaPeSrF
— Zyron Kai 猟師 🇨🇺 • #CubaLibre (@TheExoticGuard_) December 11, 2020
Unfortunately, we’ve yet to learn how this dynamic will play out. If Christensen’s portraying Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi, then we won’t be glimpsing his face on the screen, with the villain’s black suit instead making a return. Then again, several rumors had previously suggested that the show will include flashbacks to the days of the Galactic Republic, so let’s hope that we’ll get to see more of Anakin and Obi-Wan as the galaxy’s most badass duo in such scenarios before they fell out.
