Perhaps one of the most hotly requested returns in the entirety of the Star Wars fandom has finally been confirmed. Hayden Christensen, famous for playing Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, will officially step back in as the dark lord himself in the upcoming Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The Star Wars Twitter account made the announcement as part of a substantial reveal of several new shows and other properties during the 2020 Disney Investor Day. Along with confirming both the timeline and the involvement of Ewan McGregor (which, granted, wasn't exactly unknown at this point), the account proudly offered the casting news, saying "Hayden Christensen returns as Darth Vader, joining Ewan McGregor in OBI-WAN KENOBI. The Original Series begins 10 years after the dramatic events of Revenge of the Sith, and is coming to #DisneyPlus."
Christensen's performance as Anakin was largely divisive at the time, but many have grown fond of his take on the character over time, and this announcement could serve as vindication for those who thought he got unfair treatment from a large number of Star Wars fans. A chance like this to return to the role with a new director could be exactly the kind of opportunity he needed to take control of his image as Anakin. Plus, while we did technically get to see him as Darth Vader in Episode III, Anakin hadn't quite grown into the fearsome menace the galaxy eventually knew him to be. So it will be interesting to see where he goes with it.
While the confirmation that the show would take place 10 years after Episode III isn't particularly groundbreaking new information, it's helpful in giving context for where fans can expect the series to go in relation to other events in the Star Wars universe. For instance, since Star Wars Rebels is set roughly 14 years after Revenge of the Sith, certain events like Kenobi's final confrontation with Maul will still have yet to occur. Meanwhile, there's also a chance he could encounter Ahsoka at some point, and one final reunion between the two could give some satisfying closure to Clone Wars fans.
Now with this exciting news, there's also an overlooked question. Will James Earl Jones be the voice of Darth Vader again? If so, how much freedom does that allow Christensen to play the character the way he wants? Difficult to say at this time, and hopefully more information is on its way to clear that up. Either way, it's still a monumental announcement.
Fans are sure to have plenty to talk about as more announcements roll in, but this is bound to be one topic that keeps floating around every Star Wars discussion for some time. Here's hoping the wait doesn't get much more difficult.