George Lucas wanted Liam Neeson as the'real Obi-Wan Kenobi', but Ewan McGregor took up the name when he died.

In a recent interview with former Industrial Light and Magic Concept Artist Iain McCaig (via Variety), McCaig revealed that the original plan was for the Phantom Menace's first prequel to have a wild twist: Liam Neeson was to play the original "Obi Wan Kenobi" with Ewan MacGregor playing Qui-Gon Jinn. McGregor would have assumed the name after Neeson’s character died at the hands Darth Maul.

McCaig commented on the evolution of the characters' looks, saying "It is interesting to see how things change." "For a while, the older Jedi and the younger Jedi were both called Obi-Wan. It was poignant to see that, at the end of the film, when Obi-Wan died and Qui-Gon defeated Darth Maul, and stayed with his Master until he passed away, he took on not only his Master's name, but also his quest.

"Qui Gon becomes Obi Wan." When you see Alec Guinness, he drops his hood and says, "Obi-Wan?" That's a new name to me ....' He's not ObiWan. He's QuiGon. George changed the name at the very end.

The twist would have seemed a bit nuts. My first thoughts are nitpicking nitpicks. Wouldn't everyone on the Jedi Council say, "Hey, you're no Obi-Wan!" Yaddle and Ki Adi-Mundi wouldn't tolerate this. It reminds me of other weird name stuff from before Star Wars became a Death Star intellectual property--Alec Guinness posing as "Ben Kenobi" and calling Vader by his real name, "Darth", when they met. I also really like the idea of "Obi-Wan Kenobi", as a title that is passed from mentor to student, similar to the Nite Owl.

But who cares? This is Star Wars. Nothing in the setting makes sense anthropologically or economically--there's multiple entire planets made of city! I think it would have been cool to have a guy with a funky new name.

This reminds me of The Simpsons' Principal and the Pauper, where Skinner is revealed to have taken on the identity of a MIA comrade who was from Vietnam, or of the ending of Metal Gear Solid 5 when Venom Snake realizes his true relationship with Big Boss. It would have been a weird and memorable ending to Phantom Menace. It also had some thematic resonance, as Anakin Skywalker changed his name.

The idea isn't the most abandoned one we've heard. The original interview has been lost due to the deletion of Game Informer's archive. However, you can still read about how the legendary director wanted to call The Force Unleashed Starkiller "Darth Icky", or "Darth Insanius."

A former LucasArts employee said that the team made a Hail-Mary to George by saying the game would be more credible if the apprentice was given a 'Darth.' "He said 'Darth Icky,' and he said 'Darth Insanius. There was a pregnant silence in the room." George never said 'just kidding', but people were waiting for him to. He just moved on.