Obi-Wan Kenobi was originally supposed to die in ‘The Phantom Menace’ – and was played by Liam Neeson

nme.com:

Star Wars character Obi-Wan Kenobi was originally supposed to die in The Phantom Menace, a new interview has revealed.As part of the celebrations for The Phantom Menace’s 25th anniversary, a new interview with concept and storyboard artist Iain McCaig (via StarWars.com) revealed that director George Lucas originally had very different plans for Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of the film.A further twist came via the fact that the characters of Ewan McGregor – who played Kenobi in the film – and Liam Neeson, who played Qui-Gon – were swapped around, meaning Neeson was originally slated to play Obi-Wan.McCraig explained: “For a time, the older Jedi was named Obi-Wan and the younger Jedi was named Qui-Gon.

It was very poignant that at the end, as Obi-Wan dies and Qui-Gon defeats Darth Maul and stays with his Master as he passes away, he not only takes on his Master’s quest, but he takes on his name.

Qui-Gon becomes Obi-Wan.”He added: “That’s why when you see Alec Guinness in A New Hope, he puts his hood down and goes, ‘Obi-Wan?

Now that’s a name I’ve not heard…’” McCaig added. “Because he’s not Obi-Wan, he’s Qui-Gon. And right at the end, George changed it.”While McGregor was always down to play the younger version of Alec Guinness’ Obi-Wan, The Phantom Menace would have changed the character’s origin story so that Qui-Gon adopts his Jedi mentor’s name.McGregor reprised the role of Obi-Wan in two Star Wars sequels: 2002’s Attack of the Clones” and 2005’s Revenge of the Sith.