ST Allegiant General Pryde/Richard E. Grant in Episode IX

Well that easily could be wiki editing naughtiness.
But well done to whoever thought to do that.

But if they Tarkin'd him up to be Sir Alec... I wouldn't complain. It'd annoy the Prequelists.

 

Great incentive if it annoys people, am I right? Good film making.

However, I love the prequels and it wouldn't bother me. I am not 14 years old to somehow think that if Obi-Wan Kenobi is not portrayed by Ewan McGregor in IX, then that means something for the prequels. They will still rank much higher than any ST movie for me. If anything, Ewan in IX would improve the ST, but there's no way that's happening.

It wouldn't make sense narratively anyway. Obi-Wan as a Force Ghost should be in his old age form. The one we saw in ROTJ. And since Alec Guinness is not around us anymore, it would make perfect sense for someone else to take up on that role. Why not Richard Grant who has the resemblance?

 

Yeah, that's the memory you have of Empire and Jedi. Ghostly blue Sir Alec Guinness.

And the Force Ghost effect would help hide the CGI feeling too.

Someday there may be a place for Ewan Kenobi, but this isn't it. Yep.

 

Wikipedia is the one telling us that he’s playing Kenobi? Not holding my breath in that one.

 

This is what could have started it....

 

Holy Nicholas Cage 2006 hair meme!

 

No Obi Grant Kenobi.
He will belong to these guys

 

Congratulations Richard E. Grant for his Best Supporting Actor Oscar Nomination in his performance as Jack Hock in 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?'.

Oscars 2019 Best Supporting Actor by shafiilham123, on Flickr

 

Well deserved!

I'm probably going to regret posting this, but one of the production news sites seems to think he's playing Thrawn (!):


So make of that what you will. Obviously Production Weekly has industry sources, but i'm genuinely unsure if they'd have insider knowledge on characters or if it's just a guess/rumours.

 

Odd for PW to say that, as they are generally a reliable entertainment news source. It may, however, just be an intern at the social media tiller that researched the matter a little too quickly, and accepted a fan source as a real one.

Or...it’s true!

 

On the previous page there is a Richard Grant interview where he says he is not playing Thrawn.
I don't know if his response was a little diplomatic, but I don't think it makes a lot of sense for Thrawn to be active, alive, AND relevant.

I forgot to respond to that. There is no need for CGI to make someone look older. Only to make them look younger. That's why Leia got the CGI treatment in Rogue One. Tarkin was CGI because, well, the actor was dead obviously. These days people can do miracles with make up to make someone look old. For Grant specifically, it would be a piece of cake to make him look like Obi Wan Kenobi ANH age.

 

Makeup departments have been making actors look younger for over a century. That’s not too much of a problem either. Provided that it’s not a massive jump from 70 to 20, or something like that.

 

Could he be playing a young Lor San Tekka? Happy to be shot down on that one.

 

He's playing a young Sifo Dyas!

 

What's the need to have Obi-Wan's spirit on screen talking in Episode 9?

We have Yoda to do that and now Luke too, if you need a Force Ghost. If it HAS to be Obi-Wan, Guinness' likeness/performance from the OT that can be used for a non-dialog appearance as a Force Ghost (for instance a cameo among other ghosts at the end) or you have Ewan who can provide the disembodied voice over if dialog is needed.

Seems overly complicated to require seeing and hearing Obi-Wan in 9 and then recasting it. And announcing the actors name as among the main cast in the press release.

I bet Grant got worked up about the part because of what his character DOES in the movie, not because he's someone recognizable or related to the past films.

 

Or a young bounty hunter they ran in to on Ord Mantell.

 

OK...just to put everybody out of their combined misery, REG is playing the new equivalent of...

Spoiler

 

Well if Richard E. Grant didn't play Ghost Obi-Wan then it would be very confusing to explain to Rey and the audience that he's her grandfather.

Ghost Luke will come back to introduce Rey to Ghost Obi-Wan. Then Ghost Obi-Wan will to explain to Rey that since he's been dead he's discovered that he had a son and while he never knew that son he's learned in the forty years since his death that his son was a wonderful man who fell in love and had a child and that child is just as wonderful as his son who we've never heard of before and that daughter...is Rey. Then Obi-Wan will go on to explain what happened to his son and where he's been for the last forty years. It'll make sense. That's obviously why Richard E. Grant needs to play Kenobi.

 

Hopefully Ghost Obi-Grant and Rey will go for ice cream.

Actually it would be hilarious if Ghost Luke's only role in speaking to Rey in 9 is to introduce her to other Force Ghosts who actually mentor her.

Middle Man Luke.

LUKE: Rey, Rey (puts hand to ear). I have Jedi Master Yoda on the line. He's really wise, but talks funny and steals your sausages.
REY: OK (sighs) put him through.

 

I say he is young Snoke

 

Very interesting when comparing images of Thrawn to REG. Whilst the noses are different shapes, the eye shape is slightly different and REG has more of a squarer finish than Thrawn at the end of an angular jawline, the rest of the facial features (IMO) bear a striking similarity. The mouths look close, both have very high cheekbones - but its that very long forehead to me is the biggest similarity.

We have unconfirmed rumours of Batuu and slaves from the Unknown Regions. Throw in Disney's new themepark and Thrawn last heading back home into the Unknown Regions, there seems to be alot of smoke near that fire; and not the BS type.

Maybe he is Thrawn.

 

Great reasoning, but spoiled by the fact that he has said (and oft repeated on this forum) that he is not playing Thrawn.

 

Well, Christoph Waltz also denied he was playing Blofeld... just something to keep in mind.

 

"Hey, are you playing Thrawn?"
"Yes, damn you got me!"
Unlikely reaction, I'd say