Hayden Christensen Remembers George Lucas' Clone Wars Vision 19 Years Later (2024)

Hayden Christensen revealed in a recent interview that his excitement about playing Clone Wars-era Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars TV show Ahsoka in part stemmed from a conversation he had with George Lucas nearly 20 years ago. Although Star Wars: The Clone Wars fleshed out Anakin's character during this period in the Star Wars timeline, audiences were thrilled when Christensen reprised his role in live-action. Through the mysterious powers of the World Between Worlds, Anakin reunited with his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, and they traveled through flashback sequences, finally giving Christensen the opportunity to play Clone Wars-era Anakin.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Christensen shared that he had long awaited the day he could play Clone Wars-era Anakin. In fact, 20 years ago, George Lucas and Christensen discussed this period in Anakin's life. Christensen said that he remembered:

“...George [Lucas] telling me about the Clone Wars when we were getting ready to do Revenge of the Sith and just filling me in on all the backstory — how Anakin fought in the Clone Wars and he was this great warrior and a decorated general. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, that sounds really cool, would be nice to see some of that.'"

Christensen also described the opportunity to play Anakin during the Clone Wars era in live-action as "a real privilege."

It Was A Delight To See The Clone Wars In Live-Action

Star Wars audiences have long hoped for a live-action Clone Wars TV show, and for good reason. The animated Clone Wars show was incredible, and the voice actors did an amazing job of bringing old and new characters to life. However, because this period in Star Wars was so action-packed and so crucial to the larger Star Wars universe, there are always more stories to tell. In truth, though, even if a live-action show repeated some of the animated show's plot points, that would be welcome for many.

After all, there is something specifically special about seeing the prequel trilogy actors return to their roles all these years later. This has been especially true for Hayden Christensen and Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Ewan McGregor, who both reprised their roles in the Obi-Wan Kenobi show. In addition to the nostalgia factor, seeing these actors return to Star Wars offers continuity to Star Wars shows and movies and connects different eras perfectly.

As Christensen pointed out, the Clone Wars era also offers something unique. In particular, in Anakin's case, this is a pivotal time for the character, and it's arguably his prime throughout the entire franchise. While, yes, Anakin grew extremely powerful when he turned to the dark side, he also became limited by the suit he was confined to. Moreover, while both Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith offered many moments that proved Anakin's power, the Clone Wars era was special because it was Anakin's time as a fierce general.

It truly was a treat to see Clone Wars-era Anakin Skywalker in live-action during the Ahsoka show, and, excitingly, it's possible Christensen's time on the show hasn't ended. Ahsoka season 2 is currently in the works, and while it's unlikely Ahsoka or Anakin will return to Clone Wars flashbacks, the appearance of Anakin's Force ghost in the finale of Ahsoka season 1 suggests he could return in the second season. Even if that isn't the case, though, Hayden Christensen's return as Anakin Skywalker in the Ahsoka show was an incredible peek into what live-action Clone Wars-era Anakin would be like.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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  Ahsoka

  Ahsoka is a Sci-Fi television series based in the Star Wars universe developed by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. Starring Rosario Dawson, this series follows Ahsoka Tano as she works with Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), her trusty droid Huyang (David Tennant), and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) to prevent the return of the villanious Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka acts as a live-action continuation of the animated series Star Wars: Rebels.

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  Star Wars: The Clone Wars

  The animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars takes place between Episodes 2 and 3 of the Star Wars film saga. The fan-favorite series expands the story of the prequel trilogy through characters including Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, and more fan-favorite jedi.

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