Joby Harold has been tapped to write the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series at Disney Plus, Variety has learned exclusively from sources.
Harold takes over writing the highly-anticipated series from Hossein Amini, who left the project back in January. This would mark Harold’s first time writing for a television series. He most recently executive produced “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum” and is also writing the script for Zack Snyder’s film “Army of the Dead.” He was one of two writers, alongside James Vanderbilt, who was selected to develop a new take on the “Transformers” franchise for Paramount.
To date, Harold has served as an executive producer on the critically-acclaimed WGN America drama series “Underground” and the recent Netflix series “Spinning Out.” It was announced back in October that Harold and his Safehouse Pictures banner had signed a first look deal with Legendary Television.
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He is repped by CAA and Goodman Genow Schenkman Smelkinson & Christopher, LLP.
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Reps for Harold and Disney Plus did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment.
Ewan McGregor confirmed last August that he would be reprising the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the series, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy had said then that “we have all the scripts written” and that shooting was slated to begin in 2020. McGregor played the Jedi in three “Star War” prequels; after years of speculation that he might reprise the role for a standalone film, the less-than-stellar response to standalone spinoff film “Solo” reportedly dampened those efforts.
Deborah Chow, the director who helmed part of Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian” series on Disney Plus, has been tapped to direct the Obi-Wan series.
After Amini left the show, it was announced the start of production had been delayed from August 2020 to January 2021. McGregor downplayed the behind-the-scenes shakeup in an interview with Variety, saying it was “not really as dramatic as it might seem.”
“I think the scripts are great,” McGregor said at the “Birds of Prey” premiere in January. “They’re in really good shape. They want them to be better. I think we keep our same airdate. All good.”
