Liam Neeson, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi's mentor Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, has expressed interest in playing the Jedi master again if the opportunity presented itself.
With all the commotion about Ewan McGregor coming back to play the titular character of the upcoming miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi, it makes sense that Neeson would want to make his return to Star Wars as well. After all, Revenge of the Sith concluded with the suggestion that Obi-Wan Kenobi would spend his time in exile learning how to return from the netherworld of the Force from Qui-Gon Jinn.
In a recent interview with Comic Book, Neeson said he would be interested in returning as Qui-Gon Jinn if those at Disney planned to bring him back. However, Neeson's hypothetical return to the franchise would come with one condition that Disney might not be able to comply with knowing where they're going with the expansion of Star Wars. "If it was a film. Yeah, I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to TV, I must admit, I just like the big screen, you know?" Neeson said. Though The Phantom Menace itself was met with mixed reviews upon its release, Neeson reflected on how much he enjoyed the experience of filming the movie "Qui-Gon, I can't believe it's 24 years since we made [Star Wars:] The Phantom Menace, I just cannot believe where the time has gone. It was a terrific experience, shooting that film in London."
Back in 2020, Neeson told Entertainment Tonight that he originally took on the role because the acting challenge was different from what he was used to on the big screen. "The first Star Wars, I was in that, that was 22 years ago, and I enjoyed that, because it was novel and that was new. I was acting to tennis balls, which were ultimately going to be little fuzzy furry creatures and stuff. That was interesting, acting-wise, to try and make that seem real, but that was the last. It's quite exhausting." Neeson later admitted that if he were to come back, he'd prefer a small role.
As long as they do it right, there is a scenario where bringing back Neeson to play Qui Gon Jinn would serve to benefit the Star Wars franchise. In spite of being one of the main characters in The Phantom Menace, the audience didn't really get to know the character much before his death. Expanding on Jinn with an actor like Neeson at the helm and the right people in charge could break some new ground, while also giving a potentially good enough backstory to watch The Phantom Menace again to understand why Jinn acts the way he does.
However, if they were to bring back Neeson just because it would be cool and nostalgic, that doesn't seem like the right way to go about bringing back a character nobody has seen in over two decades. It also may give off the vibe of desperate fanservice to appease the fanbase, which is hard enough as it is. Not to mention it's something the franchise has done in the past, which viewers have seen through. It's great that Neeson is open to a return. If Disney is up for bringing him back, they have to handle it with care.
Obi-Wan Kenobi will be available on Disney Plus on May 27th, 2022.
Source: ComicBook.com, Entertainment Tonight