In the last decade, Hollywood has done a lot of exploration and experimentation with digital de-aging, and Star Wars has certainly been a main player – with The Mandalorian and The Book Of Boba Fett both featuring surprise appearances from a young Luke Skywalker. These developments in the sci-fi canon have resulted in fans wondering about the potential to see even more of the beloved hero in this fashion in the future, but for what it's worth, that's not something that franchise legend Mark Hamill is totally into.
The combination of Hamill, young doppelgängers, and digital wizardry made it possible for the aforementioned Disney+ shows to depict Luke Skywalker at a time shortly after the events of Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi, but the actor is of the opinion that Lucasfilm shouldn't make a habit of depicting the character that way. He recently spoke with Esquire about where things stand with Luke and possibilities for the future, and he didn't exactly hem and haw about the idea. Said Hamill,
People say, 'Oh, now you're going to be able to do a whole series of Luke post-Return of the Jedi.' I said, 'I don't think so.’ First of all, they don't need to tell those stories, but if they do, they could get an age-appropriate actor.
Thanks to the Star Wars sequel trilogy, fans have already learned about what happened to Luke Skywalker following the fall of the Empire, and it sounds like Mark Hamill is not particularly interested in getting into the details of that time period beyond what we already know. If Lucasfilm ultimately feels differently, however, it's interesting that Hamill here seems to give his blessing to the idea of recasting the role instead of doing the whole de-aging thing again.
But will we actually ever see that recasting happen? The mixed response received by Solo: A Star Wars Story won't soon be forgotten, and Lucasfilm seems dedicated to maintaining the specific looks of the characters as we know them in the Star Wars universe, as evidenced not only by young Luke Skywalker's Disney+ appearances, but also by Grand Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia's roles in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. That being said, if the franchise were to pursue something as big as a full series depicting Luke starting a Jedi academy after the events of Star Wars: The Return Of The Jedi, one would think the project would opt to have a real 30-something actor in the main role.
For now, the situation is merely hypothetical, as Star Wars doesn't have any announced plans for the future of Luke Skywalker. That being said, the franchise most definitely does have a lot cooking at the moment, both for the big screen and the small. You can keep track of all of the developments presently happening with the canon via our Upcoming Star Wars Movies And TV Shows guide.
