Liam Neeson Would Return To The Role Of Qui-Gon Jinn, Under One Condition
Before you get your hopes up: no, there are no confirmed plans for Liam Neeson's Qui-Gon Jinn to return to the "Star Wars" franchise at the moment. However, the actor expressed an interest in reprising his role as the venerable Jedi master when asked about it — but only under the condition that it is a film instead of a television series (via Comic Book):
"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."
Although Neeson seems hesitant to star in a potential Disney+ series that might feature his "Star Wars" character, it is good news that he is willing to reprise the role on the big screen, if the opportunity were to arise.
A new (yet tentative) hope
Neeson's Qui-Gon Jinn made his debut in "The Phantom Menace," and also appeared (in animated form) in three episodes of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." While we are granted a glimpse into his character and the kind of Jedi master he was, there's definitely more to Qui-Gon's story, which can be explored in greater depth in relation to the rest of the members of the Jedi Order. Qui-Gon's padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), had a much more integral role to play in terms of Anakin's training into a Jedi Knight and his fate at Mustafar, alongside the events that occur throughout the original "Star Wars" trilogy.
The upcoming Disney+ series "Obi-Wan Kenobi" will see McGregor reprising his role as the series delves into his years of exile on Tatooine, and his role in protecting a young Luke Skywalker. There's palpable excitement surrounding this upcoming offering, as fans will also get to see Hayden Christensen reprise the role of Anakin/Darth Vader, and garner a better understanding of the transformation that Anakin went through after the events of "The Revenge of the Sith."
Despite the ever-expanding popularity of Disney+ shows in the "Star Wars" franchise, Neeson seems to be more partial to returning as Qui-Gon on the big screen — which, at the moment, seems a bit of a gamble for the franchise. Unless Disney and Lucasfilm decide to make an origin story for Qui-Gon (like "Solo: A Star Wars Story") or delve into an animated film of sorts that features the Master Jedi, it is difficult to foresee how his character will fit into the direction the franchise is currently headed towards (I don't think a Force Ghost counts as a full-fledged return).
One also has to keep Neeson's views on returning to the sci-fi genre years back, which hinted that he is somewhat hesitant to dive into it in the first place (via Entertainment Tonight):
"I admire the actors and I know some of the actors who do it — and do it fantastically. It's just not my genre, it really isn't. The first 'Star Wars,' I was in that, that was 22 years ago, and I enjoyed that because it was novel and that was new. I was acting to tennis balls, which were ultimately going to be little fuzzy furry creatures and stuff. That was interesting, acting-wise, to try and make that seem real, but that was the last. It's quite exhausting."
While it might take a bit of convincing to get him back in the Jedi robes, Neeson is more than willing to assume roles of the "Taken" and "Blacklight" variety. His upcoming action thriller, "Memory," hits theaters on April 29th, 2022.