STAR WARS Icon Liam Neeson Shares What He Believes Is Taking Away The Franchise's "Mystery And Magic"

STAR WARS Icon Liam Neeson Shares What He Believes Is Taking Away The Franchise's "Mystery And Magic"

The Phantom Menace and Obi-Wan Kenobi star Liam Neeson has shared more of his thoughts on the current state of the Star Wars franchise, expressing concerns about this expanding Galaxy Far, Far Away...

By JoshWilding - Aug 30, 2023 12:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars

Liam Neeson first played Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and while he's since lent his voice to animated versions of the character, it wasn't until Obi-Wan Kenobi that we saw him return to the live-action realm. As a Force Ghost, the actor only had a minor role in the series, but it's one fans appreciated.

While it's been decades since Neeson shot the first of George Lucas' prequels, it's clear the role - and Star Wars - still mean a lot to him. 

In a new interview with Conan O'Brien, the actor jokingly described the franchise as a "cult" before sharing his thoughts on where it's heading. "There's so many movies and spin-offs," Neeson explained, "and I think, you're diluting the whole thing."

This isn't the first time he's expressed those concerns, but there are a few fun anecdotes in the video below, including the fact he and Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Ewan McGregor found themselves making lightsaber noises while shooting. "George [Lucas] said, 'Let's cut there; boys, we can add that in later.'"

The franchise has expanded massively in recent years, with a host of animated and live-action TV shows on Disney+ like Ahsoka and The Mandalorian. Throw in movies like Rogue One and Solo alongside the recent sequel trilogy, and Neeson isn't wrong that there's a lot more Star Wars content available these days beyond the prequel and original trilogies.

That's been welcomed by many fans, but Lucasfilm has been very hit-and-miss since being acquired by Disney. After a number of new projects were announced at Star Wars Celebration back in April, the hope is the franchise can bounce back in theaters after the disappointment that was 2019's The Rise of Skywalker.

Neeson appeared to have fun with his Obi-Wan Kenobi cameo, so while a full-blown return is off the table, we're hoping he might show up again somewhere.

Check out the full interview in the player below.

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