Mark Hamill has confirmed that his time as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise is officially over.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hamill, who has portrayed Skywalker since the space saga began in 1977, spoke about his “bittersweet” farewell to the character in Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, as he admitted that he “can’t imagine” ever returning to the galaxy far, far away again.
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“I had a beginning, middle, and end,” he explained. “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 [Lucas] 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.”
Shortly after the release of The Rise of Skywalker, the veteran actor penned a heartfelt letter to fans thanking them for their devotion to the Skywalker saga and the Star Wars universe, noting how it will “continue to grow with new storytellers building an even bigger galaxy.”
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Hamill may have hung up his Jedi robes for good, but he remains excited about the future of the franchise. Specifically, the Star Wars universe-expanding series The Mandalorian, which he praised for going “back to the basics” with the western in space concept.
“I think they have a wonderful advantage on The Mandalorian in that it’s economical storytelling. They don’t have the burden of delivering a gigantic special effects extravaganza like the films had to do,” he said. “It sort of gets back to the basics of George envisioning it as a western in space. It has that tone of a Sergio Leone Western. I’m very impressed with it and to me, a very smart move on their part because you can’t keep trying to top… It’s like the superhero movies that have to deliver these gargantuan epics. And with The Mandalorian, they can concentrate more on the characters and the storytelling. I think it’s excellent.”
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If you want to find out how the first season of The Mandalorian was brought to life, be sure to check out Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian on Disney+, which features in-depth interviews with the cast and crew. In a recent episode, Clone Wars boss Dave Filoni shared some interesting insights into the Duel of the Fates scene in Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
The Mandalorian Season 2 is expected to debut in October 2020 on Disney+.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Source: IGN.com Star Wars: Mark Hamill Explains Why His Time As Luke Skywalker Is Over