Few Star Wars characters have become as closely associated with particular actors as Obi-Wan Kenobi, with the character having been portrayed by several actors across the franchise's nearly 50-year history.
Sir Alec Guinness originated the role in A New Hope (1977), establishing the older Obi-Wan as one of the defining characters of George Lucas' original trilogy.
Guinness returned for The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), while Ewan McGregor later became synonymous with a younger version of the Jedi Master in the prequel trilogy films, The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005).
McGregor eventually returned to the character for the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi, while James Arnold Taylor became particularly associated with the animated version of Obi-Wan through Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and numerous video games.
Now, however, Lucasfilm has officially recast Obi-Wan Kenobi once again.
Related: Disney's ‘Star Wars' Loses Another Movie From Slate, Confirmed
Star Wars Gets a New Obi-Wan Kenobi
Disney, Lucasfilm, Welsh broadcaster S4C, and Creative Wales have announced the first-ever official Welsh-language version of Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), with the entire movie being redubbed in Welsh as part of the film's 50th anniversary celebrations in 2027.
Titled Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd, the new version features an entirely new Welsh voice cast, with Welsh actor Rhys Ifans officially taking over the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Ifans is already familiar to audiences through major Hollywood productions including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and The Amazing Spider-Man, but his portrayal of Obi-Wan will offer fans a very different performance from those previously delivered by Guinness, McGregor, and Taylor.
Ifans is joined by Matthew Rhys as Han Solo, Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Princess Leia, and Osian Morgan as Luke Skywalker, with the cast providing new Welsh-language performances of characters whose original portrayals have become synonymous with the film.
Lucasfilm Co-President Lynwen Brennan, who was born and raised in Pembrokeshire, Wales, said, “Wales has such a rich history of storytelling and a beautiful lyrical language.” She added that she hopes Welsh-speaking audiences can experience the movie with “the same emotional impact” as watching it again for the first time.
Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd will premiere on S4C and its streaming platforms on Christmas Day, December 25, 2026.
What do you think of Rhys Ifans taking over as Obi-Wan Kenobi? Let us know in the comments below!
