Firstly, it is absolutely clear that Hamill will portray Luke at least one more time on the big screen later this year. The Star Wars legend has already spoken about filming scenes for Episode 9. What remains a mystery is whether Luke will return as a force ghost or in some sort of forceback vision or flashback. However, director JJ Abrams has constantly promised to bring the entire nine-movie saga to a fitting end bringing in elements from the previous Prequel and Original Trilogies. One possible element appears to be scenes filling in some of the gaps from the past, and this ties in with the reports of a younger actor being brought in to play the role of Luke.
Some excited fans are already clamouring for Avengers Bucky star Sebastian Stan to play the role. His resemblance to Hamill has been a running joke. The two actors have even publicly joked about their father/son relationship. However, it is hard to see how Stan could cross over to the biggest rival to Avengers Endgame in the same year, even for a cameo.
So, what is really going on?
The leak claims: “Mark Hamill is being recast in Star Wars Episode 9 by a far younger actor in order to accomplish some flashback sequences.’
“Mark Hamill’s de-aged face will be CGI’d onto the character of Luke, or he will be portrayed by a younger actor.”
This not quite the same as the technique used to recreate a young Princess Leia in Rogue One. In that case, the young actress physically played the role but a computer-generated version of Carrie Fisher was then used to digitally alter her appearance.
Fisher, herself, was not involved in the process, whereas this sounds like Hamill would also be part of the complicated technique.
This has been done before on film in Terminator Genisys when a younger actor physically played the role of the Terminator in certain scenes and Arnold Schwarzennegger’s de-aged face was then grafted over the stand-in on the screen.
Of course, this is also merely a rumour at this stage, however intriguing. More than anything, early leaks and reports reflect the biggest hopes of fans mixed with the most likely storylines.
Any inclusion of scenes from the past certainly feeds into the hopes fans have for much more acknowledgement of the overarching Star Wars franchise. One of the biggest criticisms levelled at The Last Jedi was its apparent disregard (and even disrespect) for the themes and legacy of a 42-year saga.
STAR WARS 9 IS OUT ON DECEMBER 18
ORIGINAL STORY AT MIKE ZEROH