Liam Neeson talks about his “Star Wars Qui-Gon Jinn Return” movie – The Hollywood Reporter

[This story contains spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi.]

Qui-Gon Jinn is back.

star Wars The fans were on the floor on Wednesday when Liam Neeson He returned to a galaxy far, far away in the series finale Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+.

In the last moments of star Wars Miniseries, Neeson is back in the franchise for the first time since then Star Wars: Episode One – The Phantom Menace (1999) as Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn (in live action form; he also voiced the character in Star Wars: Clone Wars). It’s been mocked since the first episode that Qui-Gon might appear, but there was no guarantee. Considering the time that has passed since Neeson last played the character, it was difficult to determine his interest in wearing the Jedi robe again.

The Oscar-nominated actor said: The Hollywood Reporter He decided to return to the franchise for a number of reasons.

“I definitely don’t want anyone else to play Qui-Gon Jinn, and I wanted to show my respect to George [Lucas] And this mythical world he created,” Neeson said THR. “In addition to Iwan [McGregor] He is a friend, and I loved working with him while Ghost Danger 25 years ago.”

In the 1999 movie, Qui-Gon is Obi-Wan’s master, and through a series of events, Jedi’s husband finds Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) on Tatooine. Soon after helping secure Anakin’s freedom, Qui-Gon is killed during a lightsaber duel with Darth Maul (Ray Park).

Neeson has noted in years past that he’s always been a fan of the movie and has tuned in to initial criticism, which has since subsided, with a generation of fans very fond of the movie. Ghost DangerAnd the clone attack And the Revenge of the Sith.

“I like [Phantom Menace]Neeson told Andy Cohen on Andy’s SiriusXM radio channel in 2020. “I’m so proud of it and proud to be a part of it. I gotta be serious. I gotta play with those cool stuff and light things. It was cool, Andy, it really was.”

As for Neeson’s return to the franchise, fans have been eagerly awaiting since Yoda (Frank Oz) told Obi-Wan in Revenge of the Sith That it would teach him how to communicate with his late master’s power phantom. On Wednesday, those sown seeds finally bloomed.

Entire Obi-Wan Kenobi The series is now streaming on Disney+.