McGregor says ‘Star Wars’ TV series still on despite reports

LOS ANGELES >> Ewan McGregor says any delay in completing work on in his new Obi-Wan Kenobi “Star Wars” streaming series will be brief and is aimed at making it better.

McGregor addressed trade reports that the Disney Plus series had been placed on hold at an event promoting his latest film “Birds of Prey.”

“It’s only just slid back a bit,” McGregor told The Associated Press. “But we’re still shooting it. I think it’ll still be aired when it was meant to be and I’m really excited about it.”

The series will focus on Kenobi, a Jedi master, in the years before the events of the first “Star Wars” film. Alec Guinness played Kenobi in the original film, introducing millions to the franchise’s mystical power, The Force.

McGregor played a young Kenobi during his early years a Jedi in three prequel films, beginning with 1999’s “The Phantom Menace.”

“The scripts are excellent and they just want them to be better, and so we just pushed it back,”

McGregor said of the new series. “It’ll be fun to play again.”

A return to the role for McGregor has been long rumored, and was announced last year at Disney’s D23 Expo. McGregor has said he felt somewhat tortured by all the secrecy around the project.

The show is scheduled to become the second liveaction “Star Wars” series on Disney Plus. “The Mandalorian” has been a hit for the new streaming service, introducing audiences to new Star Wars characters, including the adorable, memeable Baby Yoda.