Disney and Lucasfilm's recently announced Obi-Wan Kenobi spinoff film is still in the early stages of development, with few solid details on the plot, casting or crew. However, the film's working title is "Joshua Tree," which may indicate a return to Tatooine.
The title, revealed by Omega Underground, appears to hint at filming locations in Southern California, specifically the Joshua Tree National Park. Although Tunisia is typically used to substitute for the desert planet, several installments in the series have filmed scenes taking place on Tatooine in California, particularly at Death Valley National Park and surrounding locations.
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Initial reports note that the film does not yet have a script, so it's entirely possible that this might change, or even just be a homage to the U2 album The Joshua Tree. However, Omega Underground does note that California's incentivization strategies have brought a number of high-profile productions to the state, including Paramount's Bumblebee and Marvel's Captain Marvel.
In April, Ewan McGregor, who played Obi-Wan in the prequel trilogy, expressed interest in returning to the role. However, there's no official announcement on whether he will star. Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry is said to be in early talks to direct the spinoff film.
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Tatooine is a critical location in Obi-Wan's story. After the events of the prequel trilogy and Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader, Obi-Wan hid himself in the deserts of Tatooine. As one of the last Jedi in the galaxy, he used his knowledge to train Anakin's son -- Luke -- so that he could defeat the Sith and restore balance to the Force. Although Obi-Wan died while battling Darth Vader during the events of A New Hope, he re-appeared as a Force ghost throughout the original trilogy. Not much is known about Obi-Wan's years of exile, though Marvel Comics has touched on the character’s trials and tribulations in their in-canon Star Wars comics.
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There is currently no release date set for the Obi-Wan Kenobi spinoff film. The next Star Wars film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, will hit theaters on December 15. Directed by Rian Johnson, the film stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Benicio del Toro, Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran.
Via Screen Rant