A new Obi-Wan Kenobi rumor claims that Liam Neeson will return to Star Wars to reprise his role as Qui-Gon Jinn.
This new rumor comes from Edward Lauder at Small Screen.
Lauder reveals a source tells him, “That deal’s already done. Liam Neeson will be playing Qui-Gon Jinn in Kenobi.”
The source went on to add, “Honestly, I’m not 100 per cent certain on how they’ll bring the character back. It sounds like it’ll be in a flashback sequence, yet they could also be thinking of bringing him back as a Force Ghost. More info when I get it.”
Yoda specifically told Kenobi, “In your solitude on Tatooine. Training I have for you.”
He continued, “An old friend has learned the path for immortality. One who has returned from the netherworld of the Force. Your old master.”
Obi-Wan then confirms it is Qui-Gon before Yoda states, “How to commune with him I will teach you.”
However, it is concerning if they are indeed thinking of making Qui-Gon Jinn a Force ghost.
In The Clone Wars Season 6 Episode 11 “Voices,” Qui-Gon Jinn appears to Yoda after he arrives on the planet Dagobah.
While following a number of lights, Yoda questions Qui-Gon on how he is there. Qui-Gon replies, “I am a manifestation of the Force, a Force that consists of two parts. Living beings generate the Living Force which in turn powers the wellspring that is the Cosmic Force.”
Yoda then asks Qui-Gon if he can show himself. Qui-Gon replies, “I cannot. My training was incomplete. All energy from the Living Force, from all things that ever lived feeds into the Cosmic Force, binding everything, and communicating to us through the midichlorians. Because of this I can speak to you now.”
Jinn is then asked if he can see the future, he responds, “I exist where there is no future or past.”
It’s pretty clear based on this episode that Neeson’s Qui-Gon Jinn should not be able to manifest as a Force ghost when he is training Obi-Wan Kenobi in the secrets of immortality and becoming one with the Force on Tatooine.
It’s more than likely Qui-Gon would show up in a flashback. It’s not hard to envision that the show might employ what Cobra Kai has done so successfully by using clips from the previous movies as part of flashback sequences to help the characters solve their current problems.
While, there is limited footage of Qui-Gon giving Kenobi advice in The Phantom Menace, if this rumor is true and they are bringing Neeson back, they could film new scenes of him training Kenobi before the onset of The Clone Wars and Qui-Gon’s death at the hands of Darth Maul.
However, there’s also the possibility that Lucasfilm ignores their previous continuity and just shows Qui-Gon as a Force ghost. I can imagine they would opt for convenience rather than actually following their own continuity.
It still is the same company who came up with the tag line, ‘Let the past die, kill it if you have to.” Showing Qui-Gon as a Force ghost would definitely kill off The Clone Wars episode where he says he cannot manifest himself as a Force ghost.
Last, but not least, Liam Neeson did recently reveal that he does think he will be retiring from performing in action films.
He told ET, “Oh, yeah. I think so. I’m 68 and a half. 69 this year. There’s a couple more I’m going to do this year — hopefully, COVID allowing us — there’s a couple in the pipeline and, then I think that will probably be it. Well, unless I’m on a Zimmer frame or something.”
However, he did add he loves doing them, “I love doing ’em. I love beating up guys half my age.”
While he is thinking about retiring from action films, he also made it clear he wasn’t retiring from being an actor and that he’s actually working on getting a TV series developed based on his film Unknown.
The actor stated, “We’re trying to get a TV series based on the premise of the story of Unknown.” Instead of being the action star, ET reports Neeson would be an executive producer.
He also indicated that he would be interested in playing the role of Zeus in the Wonder Woman franchise after hearing that fans want him to play the character he portrayed in Clash of the Titans.
Neeson stated, “I guess so, sure. I mean, I’m very flattered! I wasn’t aware that the ancient Greek gods appeared in Wonder Woman. I have to say, much to my chagrin, I haven’t seen kind of the Wonder Woman movies.”
Then after being informed that they do indeed appear in the Wonder Woman franchise, he stated, “I’ll call my agent!”
What do you make of this rumor about Neeson returning as Qui-Gon for the Kenobi series? Do you think he will be a Force ghost? What role do you think he will play?