Mark Hamill has taken himself out of the picture to possibly play Luke Skywalker again, even in voicing the character or as a Force ghost. That’s given Entertainment Weekly’s reporting that “Hamill feels his time as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars universe has come to an end.”
Hamill’s first reason for that?
“I had a beginning, middle, and end,” Hamill said of Luke.
(Hamill referred to the basic structure of storytelling.)
Hamill has an incredible commitment to storytelling. He could enjoy the attention that anyone would enjoy that comes with being Luke Skywalker, the embodiment of The Hero’s Journey on-screen and one of the greatest heroes in all of film.
How many people would do that? How many people love the prestige that comes their way whatsoever? (Social media, with its likes, answers that question.) Let alone how many would enjoy the attention of movie-star status – of playing a legend in a modern mythology? (Or to play a role in any film – even of an extra. I’ve seen extras revel in the role that provides nothing more than filler.)
Instead, on the basis of the basic storytelling structure, he is saying that his career as Luke is over.
It’s not like Disney is asking this of him, for all we know.
He’s doing it of his own free will and choice.
Hamill further said: “Those films gave me far more than I ever expected when we started out, so it’s never even occurred to me. My farewell was in Episode IX and it was bittersweet. I love all those people and I certainly have affection for George and the character he created. I’m full of gratitude for what it has given me and my career but I don’t want to be greedy. There are still so many more stories to tell and so many great actors to tell them; they don’t need me.”
So, additionally, Hamill has a grateful heart, for many things, including Star Wars creator George Lucas, maligned as Lucas is.
That’s rather beautiful.
And Hamill is also on-point.
There are still so many more stories to tell and many great actors to tell them, as seen in the recent past and currently with shows like Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels and actors like Ashley Eckstein and Freddie Prinze Jr., and The Mandalorian and actors like Pedro Pascal and Carl Weathers. (As a matter of fact, Hamill applauded The Mandalorian in the same EW interview.)
Some could say that Hamill is playing a political game, as he likely won’t be in any future Star Wars anyway. But six new films are scheduled, according to IndieWire, with theatrical release dates for three unnamed productions. Hamill could have been a Force ghost.
Further, Hamill could have lent his voice. It has not been uncommon for Star Wars to bring back actors from the films to voice their characters in shows like Clone Wars and Rebels. (A few have been Billy Dee Williams, Ian McDiarmid and James Earl Jones.) That includes Hamill himself, as Luke, of course, in Star Wars Forces of Destiny. Hamill is an incredible voice talent, having been the voice of Detective Comics’ Joker for 28 years. Surely, he would have been desired by Disney if he wasn’t already.
