Has the thought of John Wick exchanging his bullets for a lightsaber in the Star Wars universe ever crossed your mind? Now, get your imaginations going because Ahmed Best—best known for playing Jedi Kelleran Beq in Jedi Temple Challenge and The Mandalorian—has recently pitched an exhilarating vision that could revolutionize our galaxy far, far away.
In a recent exclusive chat with ComicBook, Best, 50, expressed his desire to bring “Jedi John Wick as Kelleran Beq” to life on the silver screen. For the unversed, the actor also played Jar Jar Binks in George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), a memory he cherishes to this day.
Having said that, Jar Jar’s inclusion in Star Wars marked a significant turning point in the film industry 25 years ago.
The Mandalorian Star Unveils ‘Jedi John Wick’ Concept for Star Wars Fans
In a recent interview with ComicBook, Ahmed Best shared his wild idea for a potential new Star Wars project. The actor, who splendidly donned the role of Jedi Kelleran Beq in Jedi Temple Challenge and then reprised the role in The Mandalorian’s third season, expressed his desire to see a “Jedi John Wick as Kelleran Beq” movie come to fruition.
“I keep putting this out there. I want to do a Jedi John Wick as Kelleran Beq. And I don’t even need to say any words. I just want to do two hours of lightsabers and people in the way. I really want to do something like that because the fight that I did for Mandalorian is 1/10th of 1% of what I could do. And there’s so much more.”
For those unfamiliar with the John Wick franchise, let’s rewind a bit. For example, the first John Wick flick follows the story of an ex-assassin who comes out to seek vengeance for the death of his beloved dog. The films are action-packed and intense, featuring expertly choreographed fight scenes that have riveted audiences worldwide.
Now, imagine the same degree of intensity now placed within the Star Wars universe. Ahmed Best envisions a film where Kelleran Beq unlocks his full potential as a Jedi, employing his expertise in “Filipino martial arts” to take down enemies with his lightsaber in hand.
“I was just talking about this, the style that influences Kelleran Beq is from Filipino martial arts, and nobody really knows very much how deep those arts are. Most of the Jedi are Japanese Samurai influenced, but the Filipinos beat the Samurai and they beat the Spanish. The way they move, the style that they move, and the weapons that they use are revolutionary… So I really want that to be highlighted through some kind of Jedi story.”
This new take on Kelleran Beq would present a different side of the character, giving fans a more in-depth look at his abilities and backstory, much like the John Wick films do.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: Ahmed Best’s Journey Through Backlash
Ahmed Best is still very much attached to his 1999 Star Wars role in George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace as Jar Jar Binks. Recently, speaking to People, the actor stated that although his co-stars initially praised his performance, he feels it ignited “the first textbook case of cyber bullying” because of the harassment he received from fans.
Best claimed that due to the intense criticism that his character attracted at the time, he was “ostracized” from doing similar motion-capture work in Hollywood. Considering that The Phantom Menace brought in over $1 billion at the worldwide box office in 1999 (Box Office Mojo), the actor’s confession is extremely startling.
Indeed, as soon as the film hit theaters and in the days leading up to the release of a few trailers, criticism began to surface (see CNN). Best further remarked:
“When you come out of that bubble, you’re like, ‘Oh man, everybody’s going to enjoy what we just did, because if you feel the way we felt while we were creating, it’s going to be amazing’.”
Anyway, while the chances of a “Jedi John Wick as Kelleran Beq” flick ever happening may be slim, the concept is unquestionably intriguing. Fans can only hope that someday, they will get to see Kelleran Beq in action like never before.
Both Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace & The Mandalorian are streaming on Disney+.
