Mark Hamill Hopes The Rise Of Skywalker Is His Last Star Wars Movie
Looks like Luke is ready to hang up his lightsaber.
During an interview with AP Entertainment, Mark Hamill, who has played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies since the first installment, tackled the question of whether the upcoming ninth film, The Rise of Skywalker, would "really" be his final appearance in the saga.
"I sure hope so," Hamill replied with a chuckle, making it quite clear that he's prepared to definitively close this chapter of his career.
However, it's not that Hamill hates his character or the films themselves and that's why he wants to exit post-Rise of Skywalker. During his chat with the outlet, Hamill went on to say that he got "closure" in the last film, 2017's The Last Jedi, and noted that the only reason he's involved with The Rise of Skywalker at all is because the franchise always brings Jedis back into the fold to make "curtain calls" as "Force Ghosts."
In The Last Jedi, Luke sacrificed himself to help younger rebels like Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) during a standoff against the evil First Order, but Hamill recently confirmed that he would reappear in the mysterious Rise of Skywalker as a Force Ghost — meaning that the Star Wars icon will appear in all three of the sequel flicks. Harrison Ford bowed out as Han Solo during the first installment, The Force Awakens, and due to Carrie Fisher's tragic passing, some unused footage of the late actress as Leia Organa may be used in The Rise of Skywalker. Hamill will be the only member of the original trio to legitimately return for each film in the current trilogy.
Since the first set of Star Wars movies came out, Hamill has worked steadily in television and film, though he took a different approach to acting after his role as Luke Skywalker won him overwhelming fame and acclaim. In his post-Star Wars years, Hamill moved primarily into voice acting, making his mark as The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, but when J.J. Abrams and his creative team came knocking for episodes eight, nine, and 10, Hamill signed on, playing a pivotal role in The Last Jedi.
The first official trailer for The Rise of Skywalker didn't reveal much (aside from seemingly confirming the return of Emperor Palpatine), but small details are being released every now and then about the highly anticipated final film in the series. And Hamill isn't the only cast member to share a tidbit or reaction about this upcoming epic. Keri Russell, a longtime Abrams collaborator who is new to the Star Wars universe, admitted that she cried reading Abrams' script for the first time and is extremely excited about the story she'll help to tell. Both Hamill and Russell have been careful to not spoil any major plot elements of the film, but by speaking to their experiences thus far, they can keep fans happy and reassure them that this film will provide a fitting end to the Skywalker saga.
With a huge cast of award-winning stars and with Abrams returning to helm, expectations for The Rise of Skywalker are high, and there's no doubt the cast and crew are feeling the pressure. Hopefully, when The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20, Hamill will be able to turn in his Jedi robes once and for all, closing an important chapter in his life and career.