Hayden Christensen teases more Darth Vader: "The extent of this journey remains to be seen"

Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi
(Image credit: Disney)

Thanks to the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, Hayden Christensen is finally returning to the Star Wars universe as Darth Vader – and the actor could not be happier. 

"When George [Lucas] had brought me onto the prequels, it was to play Anakin," Christensen tells Total Film in the new issue of the magazine, which features Obi-Wan Kenobi on the cover. 

"He gets knighted as Darth Vader towards the end, and for a couple of scenes I get to put the suit on. But my journey with the character was with Anakin Skywalker. But the character? He’s such a complex character. And now, getting to explore the mindset and the emotional state of Darth Vader, has been a lot of fun.

Christensen's tight-lipped when it comes to revealing any specifics about returning to the role – he says "no comment" when asked whether James Earl Jones will voice the character in the upcoming Disney Plus series. And while Christensen won't confirm reports that he will return for the new spin-off series about Ashoka Tano, he does tease that his own journey with Vader may not be complete just yet.

"The extent of this journey, I think, remains to be seen," he says. "But what a privilege to get to come back and do this, and to be a part of this project."

Could that mean a Darth Vader series after the Obi-Wan show? Christensen won't say a thing. For the minute, though, we can simply enjoy having the actor back in that galaxy far, far away.

In the cover story of the new issue of Total Film magazine, Christensen, Ewan McGregor, co-star Moses Ingram, and director Deborah Chow talk in-depth about Obi-Wan and his new adventure. Elsewhere in the feature, McGregor spoke about being "shit scared" when it came to facing down Vader, and Chow revealed that Darth Maul was never going to be part of the series, despite reports.

The first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi will premiere on Disney Plus on Friday, May 27, with subsequent episodes premiering on Wednesdays. For much more from McGregor and co, check out the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves on Thursday, April 28.

Total Film's Obi-Wan Kenobi covers

(Image credit: Total Film/Disney/Lucasfilm)

If you’re a fan of Total Film, why not subscribe so you never miss an issue? Sign up via MagazinesDirect and you’ll save money on the cover price, as well as getting exclusive subscriber covers like the one you can see above. And with our current subs offer, you can also get a free pair of headphones.

Total Film's subscription offer

(Image credit: Total Film/Disney/Lucasfilm)

Jack Shepherd
Freelance Journalist

Jack Shepherd is the former Senior Entertainment Editor of GamesRadar. Jack used to work at The Independent as a general culture writer before specializing in TV and film for the likes of GR+, Total Film, SFX, and others. You can now find Jack working as a freelance journalist and editor.

Read more
Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker in Ahsoka episode 5
Hayden Christensen has paid the ultimate respect to Anakin's Clone Wars actor: "Thank you for keeping Star Wars alive"
Darth Vader rising
20 years later, Star Wars fans are reflecting on one of the saga's most poignant moments
Andor
Andor season 2 release date, cast, trailer, and more news
Diego Luna as Cassian Andor in Andor season 2
Andor season 2 showrunner Tony Gilroy breaks silence on the weird release schedule: "It's a Disney decision"
Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Longlegs director pitches horrifying Star Wars movie with Darth Vader, and we want it to happen
Diego Luna in Andor season 2
Andor season 2 showrunner Tony Gilroy calls Cassian “Star Wars Jesus” ahead of the show’s return on Disney Plus
Latest in Sci-Fi Shows
Ezra Bridger in Ahsoka
A Star Wars actor just quietly confirmed that filming has begun on Ahsoka season 2
Doctor Who episode 'Rose'
20 years after Doctor Who returned to our screens, fans are sharing their favorite moments including from comeback episode Rose
Black Mirror season 7
Charlie Brooker promises Black Mirror season 7 is "a bit more OG", having previously said that he didn't want the series to be known as "the 'tech is bad' show" anymore
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last Of Us season 2
Abby star Kaitlyn Dever played the Last of Us games with her dad and has been a fan "for a very long time"
Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us
The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin praises Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal for "spectacular" take on one of Part 2's most iconic scenes in season 2
Diego Luna in Andor season 2
Andor star Diego Luna urges Star Wars fans to watch Rogue One immediately after season 2 ends: "You're going to see it differently"
Latest in News
Astro Bot
Astro Bot went through 23 pitch iterations before its director promised PlayStation "happy gameplay" and "overflowing charm," though it did once end with robot decapitation that made "some people really upset"
Tomb Raider
5 years after Avengers, 2 years after its last layoffs, and who knows how long before Perfect Dark and Tomb Raider return, Crystal Dynamics announces another round of layoffs
AI Limit
"AI is not as effective as it might appear": Dev of AI-focused Soulslike RPG says they didn't use any AI-generated content and it can't match "genuine creativity"
Fantastic Four: 1234 #2 cover excerpt
Sue Storm and Namor are officially both in Avengers: Doomsday, and fans are wondering if Reed Richards has something to worry about
The First Berserker: Khazan protagonist
The First Berserker: Khazan isn't even out yet, but the new Soulslike RPG already has over 1,300 94% positive reviews on Steam from early buyers
fool me once
Harlan Coben’s new novel is set to be "more of a sequel" to the hit Netflix series Fool Me Once: "I don’t know any time that’s ever happened"