The Machine's Bert Kreischer Said Mark Hamill Echoed His Father When They First Met

Bert Kreischer is finally bringing his most iconic comedic bit to the silver screen with the help of Star Wars icon Mark Hamill.

With a million YouTube subscribers, two comedy specials on Netflix, and a highly-rated podcast, Kreischer is one of the most recognizable American comedians currently working. As hard as he's worked to build his brand, Kreischer's beginnings were less than productive. He went on to attend Florida State University in the 1990s, where he was known for two things: failing classes and partying. His saga of education and debauchery became so notorious on campus that Rolling Stone eventually profiled him to find the root cause of his antics. The 1997 article eventually went on to inspire "National Lampoon's Van Wilder."

Having your own Rolling Stone profile and being the basis for a comedy film are two achievements that anybody would be content with. Instead of heading for a 9-5, Kreischer drew from his engrossing stories, channeling his innate personality and charisma, taking to the stage as a comedian. Going shirtless for most of his routines, Kreischer became a sensation thanks to his bit "The Machine."  In it, he describes his trip to Russia with his university class. During this bit, with his penchant for partying, the American quickly gets involved with the Russian mafia, eventually robbing his own class. With 48 million views on YouTube, "The Machine" is arguably Kreischer's magnum opus.

With its hilarious twist and turns, Hollywood came calling to adapt "The Machine" into a feature-length film. Joining Kreischer as his fictional father is "Star Wars" star Mark Hamill. With the first trailer for the comedy now out, all eyes are now on how Kreischer and Hamill will work together as a father-son team.

One of the most recognizable actors of all time thanks to his continued stint as Luke Skywalker in the "Star Wars" franchise, Mark Hamill has become a cultural icon and inspiration to many. His good-natured attitude will certainly shift when audiences see him portray Bert Kreischer's father in the feature-length take on "The Machine." While Hamill has certainly dabbled in comedy before with appearances in "The Kids in the Hall" and "What We Do In The Shadows," the upcoming crime-comedy will be a unique direction for the prolific actor.

Speaking with Rich Eisen, Kreischer opened up how Hamill was perfect for the role because he echoed a similar sentiment to that which his own father expressed. "We had a Zoom [meeting] and I think [Hamill] was on the fence and the first thing he said was the first thing my dad said: 'you know, why do you take your shirt off on stage?'... he was [like] 'why would you do that?'" Kreischer revealed. Fans of the comedian will know that Kreischer going on stage shirtless is just as integral to his routine as "The Machine" bit. He continued by saying that, just like his father (and Hamill), even his daughters question his penchant for going shirtless.

"And so the second [Hamill] said that, I was like 'he's perfect,'" the comedian said. 

It remains to be seen what direction Hamill's character will go. "The Machine" is set some twenty years after Kreischer's "incident" in Russia, with him now once again roped in with the mafia, now joined by his father. Kreischer went on to note that, in his opinion, "The Machine" is the "best movie" that Hamill has ever done.