Nobody was more happy to learn of the return of the Star Wars franchise than the fans. However, the actors involved were fairly shocked when they learned it was happening. However, as Mark Hamill recently told a packed house, that didn't stop him from handling the experience like a professional. He did his best to hold his cards close to the vest when George Lucas informed him the series was coming back, and that if they didn't want o return their characters would be written out of the series, rather than being recast. This apparently led to two very different reactions from a pair of Star Wars stars.
Now, I kept a real poker face. I felt like someone hit me in the stomach really hard, but I didn't show any reaction. Carrie Fisher of course said, 'I'm in!' I said, 'Carrie, Poker face! Poker face! Talk to your agent first!'
According to Mark Hamill, the conversation took place over lunch with George Lucas during Star Wars Celebration four years ago. He told a packed house at Salt Lake City Comic-Con that he actually thought something was up when his daughter was specifically not invited to join them for the lunch. His wife actually joked that perhaps George Lucas would tell them they were working on a new trilogy. Hamill didn't believe that, and so, of course, you can guess how shocking that reveal actually was.
It's intriguing to guess how Star Wars: The Force Awakens might have played out if any of the major returning cast had decided not to do so. They could have potentially made the film more or less the same. It wouldn't have been much of a stretch to have to Kylo Ren kill Luke Skywalker during the attack on his school. Ren could have also easily have killed either of his parents in the events prior to the film. Still, it would have required a very different plot to the movie itself. With Harrison Ford being such a major part of the movie, imagine how the story could have ended up different if he had never appeared.
Of course, Mark Hamill was more than happy to return to the role that made him a star to a generation. While his screen time in Star Wars: The Force Awakens was criminally short, we're sure to see much more of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode VIII next year. We're guessing he didn't actually play so hard to get, although, we're still curious how much money the guy who had no lines was able to get out of the deal. Just how good is his agent?
You can check out the full SLCC Q&A below. The pertinent discussion happens very early.
We couldn't be happier that everybody involved came back for the new trilogy. Now if those movies could just get here a little bit faster.
