Ahead of Obi-Wan Kenobi's release in 2022, the hope among Star Wars fans was that Liam Neeson might return as Qui-Gon Jinn. While the Jedi Master may have died at the hands of Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, telling "Ben's" story without an appearance from his Force Ghost somehow felt...wrong.
Thankfully, Lucasfilm didn't disappoint, and the show's final scene saw Obi-Wan reunited with his fallen Master as the Jedi Master embarked on a new path.
Neeson has never shied away from his iconic role in the Star Wars franchise, and previously returned to lend his voice to Qui-Gon in The Clone Wars and The Rise of Skywalker. However, the actor has now confessed that he has a major issue with the Jedi Master's death at Maul's hands.
"I thought my death was a bit namby-pamby," The Naked Gun star admitted (via SFFGazette.com). "I was supposed to be a Master Jedi, you know? My character fell for that, 'Oh I’m going for your face! No, I’m not I’m going for your stomach!' 'Oh, you got me!' I was like oh, please. Hardly a Master Jedi."
Despite that, Neeson reiterated that he still enjoyed the experience, and went on to share some surprising claims about filmmaker and Star Wars creator George Lucas.
"George doesn’t like directing. Period. He told me that," Neeson explained. "He’d finish a scene, he’d say, 'Natalie, a little bit faster. Liam, a little bit faster there.' [In the] editing suite afterwards, that’s when he starts enjoying the process. But actually directing actors and stuff, he told me he doesn’t like it."
That might explain why Lucas hasn't stepped behind the camera to helm a movie since 2005's Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. He sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, and while there was talk of his outlines being used for the sequels, that didn't happen.
Lucas has made the odd set visit, of course, but isn't creatively involved with the Star Wars or Indiana Jones franchises. That's a relief for some fans, and a major source of disappointment for others.
Asked last year about possibly making a full-blown Star Wars return, Neeson said, "I enjoyed very much being with Ewan and George Lucas on The Phantom Menace. We shot that 26 years ago! Would I do it again? I don't think so. Too ******* old, ya know? I can't see the situation, I really can't, you know?"
You can watch the full interview with the actor in the player below.