News | Entertainment
9 Jan 2026 4:40
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Star Wars' move into television was an "organic" development for the franchise

    Kathleen Kennedy, the President of Lucasfilm, believes their venture into shows on Disney Plus - which began with hits like 'The Mandalorian' and now include many more, such as the upcoming 'Obi-Wan' and the as-yet-unreleased 'Andor' starring Gabriel Luna, reprising his 'Rogue One' character Cassian Andor - is a natural follow-on for 'Star Wars' as the franchise's creator George Lucas "was serialising his storytelling"


    She told Vanity Fair magazine for their June cover story: "What's unique about 'Star Wars' is that we're one story, basically. "George was always dealing with episodes. Ironically, he was serialising his storytelling. He was influenced by 'Flash Gordon' and cliff-hangers on Saturdays at movie theatres. All of that informed what the DNA of 'Star Wars' is, which is why I think it's just organic that we made the transition into television."

    Ewan McGregor - who will reprise his role as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi in the upcoming series after first playing the role in the prequel trilogy released between 1999 and 2005 - joked that 11-month-old son Laurie "has been born into this massive 'Star Wars' family" while confirming the rumours that his wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead is due to star alongside Rosario Dawson in the upcoming series 'Ahsoka'.

    The 51-year-old actor told the magazine: "My partner, Mary, is doing that 'Star Wars' series with Rosario and she's about to start. Our little boy has been born into this massive 'Star Wars' family. He will either embrace it or really go the other way. I don't know. Maybe he'll be a Trekkie!"

    Ewan is joined on the show by Hayden Christensen - who portrayed Anakin Skywalker before he turned to the Dark Side and became Darth Vader in the prequel movies - and he spoke at length with showrunner Deborah Chow about the iconic villain's "power and vulnerability".

    The 41-year-old actor told the outlet: "This is a character that has come to define my life in so many ways. "I was originally hired to play a very specific portion of this person's life. Most of my work was with Anakin. And now I get to come back and explore the character of Darth Vader. A lot of my conversations with Deborah were about wanting to convey this feeling of strength, but also coupled with imprisonment. There is this power and vulnerability, and I think that's an interesting space to explore."

    Read the full cover story "The Rebellion Will Be Televised," by Anthony Breznican in Vanity Fair's June issue and on VanityFair.com.

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     08 Jan: Matthew Perry's grave has been marked with a nod to Friends
     08 Jan: Dove Cameron has got engaged to Damiano David
     08 Jan: Nikki Glaser has pledged not to tell predictable jokes about Leonardo DiCaprio at the Golden Globe Awards
     08 Jan: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie's home has been broken into
     08 Jan: Jacob Elordi found spending 10 hours in the make-up chair for Frankenstein "the greatest blessing"
     08 Jan: Lucy Hale has described hitting "rock bottom" as the "greatest gift" of her life
     08 Jan: Evangeline Lilly has been left with brain damage following an accident earlier this year
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Kiwi Ben Robb will be throwing stress-free at the professional darts tour qualifying school in Germany starting overnight More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Christchurch has been named the country's most turbulent airport for the second year running More...



     Today's News

    International:
    Donald Trump says US oversight of Venezuela could last for years 23:27

    Law and Order:
    Police arrest suspects after armed heist at airport believed to be Vanuatu's first organised robbery 22:17

    Politics:
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins says Shadbolt was a passionate advocate for his community, a tireless public servant, and a voice for those often unheard 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Matthew Perry's grave has been marked with a nod to Friends 21:53

    Entertainment:
    Dove Cameron has got engaged to Damiano David 21:23

    Politics:
    Patients caught-up in the Manage My Health cyber breach are being urged to be vigilant 21:17

    Entertainment:
    Nikki Glaser has pledged not to tell predictable jokes about Leonardo DiCaprio at the Golden Globe Awards 20:53

    Entertainment:
    Kit Harington and Rose Leslie's home has been broken into 20:23

    Entertainment:
    Jacob Elordi found spending 10 hours in the make-up chair for Frankenstein "the greatest blessing" 19:53

    Entertainment:
    Lucy Hale has described hitting "rock bottom" as the "greatest gift" of her life 19:23


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd