There were a few incarnations of Obi-Wan Kenobi before becoming the final product that is now unfurling on screens on Disney+. Originally, the story was conceived as a standalone film in the same vein as Solo: A Star Wars Story, to be directed by Stephen Daldry and written by Hossein Amini. But after Disney+ was launched, the plan shifted in 2019 toward making a series for the new streaming platform, with Deborah Chow announced as the new director.