Yesterday we were greeted with not only first-look images from the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series but also a pretty stellar teaser trailer…and now it’s Darth Vader’s turn. One thing felt missing from all Star Wars goodies we were receiving and that was the much-hyped return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader. While we aren’t seeing Christensen in the flesh just yet, Entertainment Weekly has graced us with the first image of Darth Vader as the fans have come to know and love him.
The image features one of pop culture’s iconic villains in a location on Mustafar as his looming presence alone makes this a true treat for Star Wars fans. You can check out the new image below!
In the accompanying EW interview, Hayden Christensen teases us perhaps seeing Vader sans mask, telling them “I’m sworn to secrecy.” As for how much of the iconic villain we’ll see, writer Joby Harold says, “His shadow is cast across so much of what we do,” adding, “and the degree of his proximity to that shadow is something that we’ll discover. But he is very much a part of the show emotionally for Obi-Wan, and possibly beyond that as well.”
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series began shooting in April of last year and the story is set 10 years after the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. In addition to Ewan McGregor returning as the titular character, the series has also been touting the return of Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. Joining McGregor and Christensen is a truly interesting ensemble cast that includes Joel Edgerton, Moses Ingram, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell, and Benny Safdie.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series was originally announced at the D23 Expo in August of 2019. Deborah Chow is set to direct the show and will executive produce with Hossein Amini, who also wrote the series. McGregor, Kathleen Kennedy, and Tracey Seaward will also serve as executive producers on the project.
Do YOU like the first Darth Vader image from Obi-Wan Kenobi? The series hits Disney+ on May 25, 2022.