Walt Disney Company held its annual investor conference, affectionately nicknamed 'Investor Day,' and the overwhelming announcements that came out of the conference is exciting to any fan of popular culture. Lucasfilm announced that Hayden Christianson will be returning to the screen as Darth Vader in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+.
Deadline reported on the event as well, as returning Star Wars prequel cast members celebrate the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi limited run. “The most beautiful thing of all,” Ewan McGregor said about the return of Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader in the upcoming Obi-Wan series. McGregor made the comment in an Obi-Wan Kenobi featurette played during Disney Investor Day where Christensen’s casting was announced. Disney followed up with a Tweet saying: “Hayden Christensen returns as Darth Vader, joining Ewan McGregor in OBI-WAN KENOBI. The Original Series begins 10 years after the dramatic events of Revenge of the Sith, and is coming to #DisneyPlus.”
Christensen was a discovery by George Lucas, an unknown actor when he took on the role of grown-up Anakin Skywalker, the father of Luke and Leia who turns to the dark side of The Force and becomes Darth Vader. Christensen made his debut in Episode II: Attack of the Clones and then continued into Revenge of the Sith. The draw to the dark side is shown through Anakin’s fall from grace, and his (quite literal) meltdown as he becomes Vader.