'Star Wars' Obi-Wan Kenobi film in development at Disney

Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Disney and Lucasfilm is now developing a Star Wars standalone film based on signature franchise character Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Oscar-nominated director Stephen Daldry is in early talks to helm the film, Variety reported.

Disney and Lucasfilm are said to be at the earliest stages of development on the project with no script, noted The Hollywood Reporter. If Daldry takes the job, he would begin to oversee the script along with Lucasfilm brass.

The Obi-Wan Kenobi film could potentially be the next standalone Star Wars film that Disney plans on releasing in-between main numbered entries in the series. The studio has already released Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and is currently shooting an untitled Han Solo film.

A Jedi master, Obi-Wan Kenobi was first portrayed by Alec Guinness in Episodes 4-6 and then by Ewan McGregor in the prequel films consisting of Episodes 1-3. The character was the mentor of Anakin Skywalker who goes on to become Darth Vader. Kenobi then lived in isolation to take care of Luke Skywalker whom he trains before meeting his end at the hands of Vader.

In March 2016, McGregor expressed interest in reprising the role in a potential spinoff film. "I'd very much like to do one," he said before outlining when the film could take place.

"I think the story between Episode III and Episode IV, I think there's a story there," he continued. "I think that's the Obi-Wan Kenobi movie, if there is one. The one that bridges my Obi-Wan Kenobi and Alec's Obi-Wan Kenobi because there's a -- I don't know how long he's in the desert there, but it's got to be twenty or thirty years."