With The Mandalorian halfway through its eight episode first season, Clone Wars season 7 still in production, and Star Wars: Resistance set to end after its second season finishes airing later this month, fans are curious what form Star Wars TV will take next. On December 3, the official Star Wars website finally answered their questions when it announced…a new children’s game show starring the actor for Jar Jar Binks?
Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge is an upcoming Disney+ exclusive game show that casts real-world child contestants as padawans in the Star Wars universe, each competing to become a full-fledged Jedi Knight. Hosted by dancer, STOMP alum, musician, and former Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best, the show will “test young contestants’ abilities in the core Jedi principles of strength, knowledge, and bravery” in challenges involving anything “from lightsabers to hyperspace, the Force, and the dark side.” Best will also be joined by Veep actress Mary Holland as a comic relief droid co-host.
According to Lucasfilm’s senior director of Online Content & Programming, Mickey Capoferri, “The various challenges will test a Padawan’s connection to the Force in three locations – a forest planet, on board a Jedi star cruiser, and inside a Jedi temple.”
The show will premiere in 2020, and focus on “the best of Star Wars – competitive spirit, harrowing obstacles and a hero’s triumph over challenges,” according to Disney+’s vice president of originals- unscripted content, Dan Silver.
Little else is known about the show at this time, aside from Capoferri’s confirmation of its target audience, calling it a “kids game show like no other.”
While Star Wars is no stranger to television at this point, Jedi Temple Challenge marks the series’ first steps into nonfiction content, except for perhaps the film series’ various “Making Of” documentaries. It also marks Ahmed Best’s first official return to the series (outside of various small cameos) since 2005’s Revenge of the Sith.
Since leaving Star Wars, Best has gone on to star in episodes of Law & Order: LA, Disney’s Zeke & Luther sitcom, and his own television show, This Can’t Be My Life. He also won an Annie Award for voice acting in 2009 for his portrayal of Jar Jar Binks in Robot Chicken’s Star Wars: Episode II parody episode. In 2016, he spoke with YouTube documentarian Jamie Stangroom about some of his experiences with his role as Jar Jar, acknowledging the backlash to his character and, oddly enough, seeming to close the door on ever returning to Star Wars. “I think I’ve done my damage,” Best explained. “I’m good with where I stand in the Star Wars Universe. I don’t need to be back.”
With Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge allowing him to return to the series not as Jar Jar, but as himself, that seems to have changed, hopefully giving Best an opportunity to live up to the dream he explained in his Reddit AMA back in 2014.
“I’m a skinny kid from the Bronx. I’m not supposed to be alive let alone a pro artist. Opportunities like SW come once in a lifetime. Those are the ones you say yes to.”
Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge will air exclusively on Disney+ starting sometime in 2020.
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