Here are 3 reasons why we need an Obi-Wan movie (and why we definitely don’t need a Jabba the Hutt one)

Once news broke that an Obi-Wan film would be the next Star Wars standalone heading into development, the internet went wild. But nothing’s set in stone yet.

As promised, Lucasfilm waited for the dust to settle before they set up a meeting to discuss future projects. While they reportedly have plenty of ideas on the slate, news broke on Thursday that Obi-Wan officially would head into development next. Except, it’s not that official yet.

In fact, they haven’t exactly booked a director, no script has been written and Disney hasn’t commented on the news yet. Immediately when I saw Twitter go up in flames, I hopped over to the official Star Wars news feed, but there was nothing. Then, Variety pointed out that Obi-Wan was just one of many in discussion. Which means, between Obi-Wan, Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt, it’s currently anybody’s game.

Hopefully, the loud, happy riot over today’s news proves to Lucasfilm that an Obi-Wan standalone should be their only option. If I could go back and undo the Han Solo film and replace it with Obi-Wan’s movie, I totally would. And to imagine that Lucasfilm would be so brazen as to think that we’d eat up any sort of Jabba the Hutt movie is so insulting, I would rather jump in the Sarlacc pit of my own volition. Really? Jabba the Hutt, who is notorious for sexualizing and abusing women and otherwise doesn’t deserve any sort of redeeming film? That slug? Let me just say, if Jabba the Hutt gets a movie before Ahsoka Tano, that may be the one thing that will make me turn away from Star Wars …

But let’s focus on the positive: the idea of an Obi-Wan film. It should be a no-brainer, but since Kathleen Kennedy clearly has PR down to a science, let’s just take a look at the three reasons why an Obi-Wan movie needs to be made:

1. The hero the world (and the Jedi) needs

Obi-Wan Kenobi was a good, good man. From the very beginning (as a young man back in The Phantom Menace), Obi-Wan upheld all the right values that it takes to be a Jedi and proved himself to be the most loyal Padawan to Qui-Gon Jinn. By Revenge of the Sith, he kept up his end of the promise to watch over Anakin Skywalker, which meant also watching out for Padmé and making the tough decision to put Anakin down when he needed to. By demonstrating a consistent level of patience, he quietly showed everyone that less is more. Like Steve Trevor, Obi-Wan put others before himself and held onto his convictions to do what is right no matter the cost. And you know what? We need more men like him in the movies.

Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of ‘Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith’ Image via Disney/Lucasfilm.

2. That big gap between Episodes III and IV

Forget “Twin Suns.” That’s one piece in the span of 18 years, okay? What was Obi-Wan’s life like living as a hermit? I mean, he just brought down his “brother” and was going to get back in touch with his old master through the Force. How did their first conversation go exactly? Obi-Wan stayed on Tatooine to watch over Luke, so it’s safe to guess someone may have gone looking for him, too. The Obi-Wan comics touch on some of that (especially his tiff with Uncle Owen), but that’s not enough.

We could go back to the Clone Wars again or visit his love life, but Lucasfilm probably doesn’t want to mix up the story too much. So why not just go over to the blank slate that is the time between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope and try something new? Go Rogue One-style: something familiar, but new that doesn’t rely on lightsabers to create a compelling story about good and evil. There’s so much material, it’s almost hard to pick!

NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 13: Ewan McGregor attends the ‘Beauty And The Beast’ New York Screening at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on March 13, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

3. Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor has talked so much about Star Wars that it seems like a no-brainer. And yet, his name wasn’t anywhere near the first report. But if Lucasfilm really wanted to get everyone hyped, why wouldn’t they announce him? More importantly, why would they entertain the idea of hiring someone else when the man who has already done it is at the top of his game? He just did Beauty and the Beast for Disney, so all he has to do is scramble on over to the Lucasfilm side and suit up in his old Jedi Khakis. Consider the ongoing Han Solo kerfuffle… do we really want to play the Alden Ehrenreich game again and have to sit around convincing people that it’s not as bad as it seems? Just make it easy on yourselves, Lucasfilm, and bring Ewan back.

Related Story: Here’s how everyone will be handling Han’s death in TLJ

So there are the three most obvious reasons why Obi-Wan needs to hit the big screen next. In case I wasn’t clear enough before, I’ll really lose it if Jabba the Hutt takes precedence over Master Kenobi. However, if Lucasfilm wants to show me a really young Yoda, that’s a horse of a different color.