Liam Neeson Open To Star Wars Return (But Only For A Movie)

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Liam Neeson recently revealed that he's interested in returning to the Star Wars universe as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, but only for a film. It's been over 20 years since Neeson made his memorable franchise debut alongside Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Since then, his possible return to the galaxy far, far away has been much anticipated by fans eager to see more of the legendary Jedi Master.

 

Thanks to Disney+'s expansion of the Star Wars saga in recent years, several iconic characters and performers have been brought back to the universe on the small screen in series like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. And with the premiere of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series just around the corner, many fans have speculated that Neeson might make a cameo in the show as a force ghost. And while Neeson may return in Obi-Wan Kenobi, some of his recent comments cast doubt on Qui-Gon's rumored appearance in any of the upcoming Star Wars shows.

 

While speaking with ComicBook about his upcoming action flick, Memory, Neeson confirmed that he's open to reprising his role as Qui-Gon, but with a slight catch. When asked whether he'd return to the Star Wars universe, Neeson said he'd only do so for a film—not a Disney+ series. His full quote can be read below:

 

"Oh, I think so, yeah, yeah, yeah, I think so ... if it was a film. Yeah, I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to TV, I must admit, I just like the big screen, you know? Qui-Gon, I can't believe it's 24 years since we made [Star Wars:] The Phantom Menace, I just cannot believe where the time has gone. It was a terrific experience, shooting that film in London."

 

Neeson's latest remarks aren't the first time he's gotten candid about moving on from the Star Wars universe. In 2020, Neeson told Entertainment Tonight that he's "really not a huge fan" of the Sci-Fi genre and detailed his experience working on Star Wars as "quite exhausting." Now, while he sounds like he'd be open to having a small part in a big-screen Star Wars project, he seems to have little interest in starring in a full-fledged fantasy series. It's hard to predict what type of film would be best suited for Qui-Gon's hypothetical Star Wars return, with Obi-Wan Kenobi being the obvious answer. However, Neeson claimed that he "wasn't approached" by Disney about appearing in the show, leaving the question of whether or not audiences will see Qui-Gon again up in the air.

It'll be interesting to see whether or not Neeson's remarks that he'll only appear in the franchise on the big screen are true or if, despite his adamant denial that he'll show up in Obi-Wan Kenobi, he might reprise his role as Qui-Gon for the small screen as well. Either way, Neeson's portrayal of Qui-Gon continues to be widely praised by fans years after the release of Episode I, and audiences would surely welcome his return in any future Star Wars media.

 

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