Liam Neeson has finally entered the Star Wars discourse in a big way, and it seems that he agrees with a hot take that tons of superfans already have. Being a Star Wars fan is difficult right now, and that’s not in regard to the quality of the media. It’s just the sheer quantity of it. First, we had the sequels trilogy. Then, there were standalone films, like Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story. That’s aside from television shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and most recently, Andor. And then there are movies on the horizon, including projects under development from Taika Waititi and Kevin Feige.
People were excited for more when there was a pretty sizable span of time without any new Star Wars media after the release of Return of the Jedi. Then, we got the prequel trilogy, which fans have a complicated relationship with. Then, things settled down again outside of an animated movie and a television series taking place during the Clone Wars. When Disney took over, it began to seem like multiple Star Wars projects were being put out every year. It seems they decided to take the Marvel approach and flood the market with their franchise. Some people can’t get enough of the expanded universe lore, while others aren’t so enthused. Liam Neeson revealed why in an episode of Watch What Happens Live!
He was asked if he’d be interested in returning, and he said:
“No, I’m not. There’s so many spinoffs of Star Wars. It’s diluting it to me, and it’s taken away the mystery and the magic in a weird way.”
That contradicts an interview he had with ComicBook.com just last year when he was asked if he would return as Qui-Gon in the future.
“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 The Phantom Menace, I just cannot believe where the time has gone. It was a terrific experience, shooting that film in London.”
It’s probably also worth noting that Liam Neeson did recently return to Star Wars, filming a cameo that appeared at the end of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The next Star Wars series is The Mandalorian Season 3, which premieres next month on Disney+.
Sign up for Disney+ here.
Every Star Wars Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best
