2 Months Before Revenge of the Sith, a Star Wars Legend Starred in a Forgotten Animated Movie

After the controversial releases of the first two Star Wars prequel movies, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith was meant to usher in a fitting conclusion for the franchise. WhereStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) left Anakin as a lustful Jedi, Sith would bridge the gap between Anakin's story and the rise of Darth Vader. It was highly anticipated, eventually going on to earn $868 million at the box office, which would be around $1.436 billion in today's money. Without adjusting for inflation, it would defeat Clones' $654 million total with ease, though it would fall short of The Phantom Menace (1999)'s $1 billion take.

While critical responses were mixed, it is hard to deny the incredible box office success and the cultural impact of the prequels. Its stars, Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Natalie Portman (Padmé Amidala), and Hayden Christensen (Anakin / Vader) have become essential names in Hollywood. Though McGregor had earned renown for Trainspotting (1996), all were relative unknowns when they debuted. After the success of the first movie, however, they would inevitably turn to other projects alongside Star Wars. McGregor did so fairly early, as one major release came before Revenge of the Sith even reached theaters.

Ewan McGregor Is Best Known as Obi-Wan Kenobi

McGregor Continues To Play Obi-Wan Today

McGregor has enjoyed a long career as a Star Wars star. As Obi-Wan Kenobi, he had the opportunity to appear in every prequel movie, two movies from the sequel trilogy, a video game, and even a Disney+ miniseries. The character has become the most prominent element of McGregor's growing legacy within the industry, which likely opened numerous doors for him along the way. Check out the chart below, which showcases McGregor's many Star Wars TV and movie projects even without his other career roles:

Like Natalie Portman's illustrious career, McGregor has been able to ride the Star Wars success into a fulfilling and renowned career. McGregor was able to star in key roles in Fargo, Christopher Robin (2018), and Doctor Sleep (2019), but the actor is generally remembered for being the face of the Star Wars prequels. While Portman played an overshadowed love interest and Christensen joined the production late, McGregor was its lasting star from the very beginning. In many ways, while Anakin was the star of the trilogy, Obi-Wan was just as prominent. As did the actor, his character grew and changed before the audience's eyes. It helped to improve his already stellar reputation in Hollywood, but it also meant that McGregor remains best known for playing Obi-Wan Kenobi. There was one forgotten movie, however, that should have reshaped McGregor's legacy even before the prequel trilogy ended.

McGregor Also Starred In an Underrated Disney Movie

Robots Is a Forgotten Adventure

Before the trilogy concluded with the battle on Mustafar, McGregor offered audiences a chance to see one of his characters face a much happier ending. He played the leading man in Robots, which was released on March 11, 2005. That happens to have been just two months before Revenge of the Sith's May 19, 2005 release. The movie was a collaboration between 20th Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios, and it was directed by Academy Award-winner Chris Wedge (Ice Age). It also featured an all-star cast that included McGregor as the leading man, Rodney Copperbottom. Joining him were Halle Berry (Cappy), Robin Williams (Fender Pinwheeler), Mel Brooks (Bigweld), Drew Carey (Crank Casey), Jennifer Coolidge (Aunt Fanny), Stanley Tucci (Herb Copperbottom), and more.

The movie had a fairly simple plot, as the young Rodney Copperbottom works to repay his debts by becoming a great creator. Eventually, however, he is forced to face off against a greedy and corrupt company executive, after he discovers that many people in the urban Robot City are struggling to survive. Rodney becomes a hero, and he eventually rises to become the second-in-command at the company. Despite a fairly predictable plot, the movie is filled with genuine comedy and some incredible character designs.

Robots Has Been Overlooked For Years

The Movie Has Become Divisive

By all means, Robots should have been an enormous success, and it was. The movie ushered in $262.5 million at the box office. That total comes against a budget of approximately $75 to $80 million. After adjusting for theatrical cuts in ticket prices and a substantial marketing budget, it likely would have needed between $187.5 million and $200 million to break even. That means it earned at least $62.5 million in profit, which is certainly substantial. Talks of a sequel remained ongoing for some time, but it was eventually set aside for other projects. The eventual shuttering of Blue Sky Studios in 2021 means that any hope of a continuation is officially dead.

Still, the movie was a success. It was profitable and earned some positivity from critics. With a64% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, it earned a Fresh rating, which is enough to earn the movie some acclaim today. Audiences were not quite so positive, offering a score of just 54% on the Popcornmeter. The results were far from astounding, but it was still enough to enshrine McGregor as a skilled voice actor. After all, most of the complaints related to the tired and unoriginal story. The voice acting itself earned substantial praise, and McGregor proved to have the perfect comedic timing for every joke.

Robots Was Not McGregor's Only Major Non-Star Wars Movie

McGregor Also Starred in Various Other Genres

McGregor would go on to star in a litany of other shows and movies, and each has earned some level of acclaim. He was able to earn the leading role in Christopher Robin (2019), which saw McGregor's Robin reuniting with Winnie the Pooh. He was able to star in a Fargo season, in the 2001 jukebox musical Moulin Rouge!, and in the DC Extended Universemovie Birds of Prey (2020). He even managed to earn crucial roles in Doctor Sleep (2019), the live-action Beauty and the Beast (2017) remake, and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022). Not every movie is a box office hit, but McGregor generally always serves as a positive force who can draw praise from even the most displeased critics.

Though McGregor is best known for his Star Wars role, Robots, and his other roles prove that he is more than just Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Every appearance proved that McGregor is capable of becoming a leading man in any genre. Fantasy, comedy, science fiction, family-friendly adventures, and even horror roles are never beyond him. He is a voice actor, a live-action star, and even a thespian who returns to the stage semi-regularly. Though McGregor is best known for his Star Wars role, Robots, and his other roles prove that he is more than just Obi-Wan Kenobi. Even if it remains underrated, Robots continues to serve as evidence of McGregor's undeniable talent. He turned a bizarre but tired premise into a truly enjoyable movie that can entertain audiences today – if the audience can remember that it exists.