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With anticipation building for Disney+’s latest Star Wars spinoff series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, information about the series is slowly being released. The latest interesting tidbit is that Darth Maul was originally supposed to be Obi-Wan’s main antagonist and the role was going to be reprised by actor Ray Park.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the fan-favorite villain from Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace was expected to make his big comeback in the new Obi-Wan series but was written out at the last minute in favor for the classic Star Wars bad guy, Darth Vader. The series writer, Hossein Amini was working with director Deborah Chow on the six-episode series but when they presented Star Wars stewards Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau with their script, things went left for the show.
“Sources note that Filoni and Favreau were concerned about Obi-Wan covering similar ground as Mandalorian — the Lone Wolf and Cub-like story of Kenobi coming out of hiding to protect a child-aged Luke Skywalker. Maul was one of the villains who would participate in the hunt for the pair; Vader was nowhere to be found in this faraway galaxy at this stage, according to those with knowledge of the project. Also, Filoni and Favreau pushed Chow and the show to “go bigger,” according to several sources. In any case, those concerns made their way to Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy, who pressed the pause button. (Joby Harold was eventually hired as the show’s new writer.)”
While we’re sad to see Darth Maul get cut from the series, adding Darth Vader is a good look for the show as you know he and Obi-Wan are going to have another epic lightsaber battle.
Still, a Lucasfilm source rebuffed the rumor that Darth Maul was going to be a part of the show saying he was never intended to return to the Star Wars universe. So much for those rumors that Ray Park was seen on the set of Obi-Wan having shot a few scenes for the series. Who knows, maybe Darth Maul might still make a cameo in the series or eventually return for another spinoff at some point. Hope springs eternal, right?
Still, we can’t wait to see Obi-Wan Kenobi back in action when the series hits Disney+ on May 25th.
Check out the trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi below and let us know if you’d have preferred Darth Maul over Darth Vader in the comments section below.