Mark Hamill Doubles Down on ‘Star Wars’ Exit, “They Haven’t Asked Me”
Mark Hamill has once again addressed whether Luke Skywalker remains part of his future—providing clarity amid swirling rumors.
Hamill’s career in the Star Wars saga began with 1977’s A New Hope before continuing through The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), and his cameos as an older Luke in the sequel trilogy, culminating in (spoiler alert) his character’s passing at the end of The Last Jedi (2017).
Thanks to the power of CGI, Hamill has also reprised the role of younger Luke in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, relying on de-aging technology to convincingly portray the character in the time between the original and sequel trilogy.
Mark Hamill Confirms End of Luke Skywalker’s Journey
If you were hoping for more Luke cameos in the future, Hamill recently dropped some bad news.
In a recent interview with ComicBook.com, Hamill observed, “I am so grateful to George [Lucas] for letting me be a part of that back in the day … We never expected it to become a permanent franchise and a part of pop culture.”
He then clarified his stance: “But my deal is, I had my time. I’m appreciative of that, but I really think they should focus on the future and all the new characters.”
Hamill’s rather straightforward confirmation of the end of his time in the franchise shocked some fans. However, it seems like he’s holding firm on this attitude, judging by a preview clip from an upcoming Sunday Sitdown interview with Willie Geist (via TODAY).
“Well, let me say: they haven’t asked me,” he clarified. “It’s not like they said, ‘Please come back.'”
Looking Beyond Legacy Characters
Fans and insiders have long speculated whether this marked the definitive end of Luke’s arc or simply another quiet retreat. With Hamill now 73, his sentiment seems to support a graceful exit from center stage.
Lucasfilm has hinted that Luke may not appear in the upcoming New Jedi Order film that will once again star Daisy Ridley as Rey (and currently seems to be floundering, having worked its way through several writers since its announcement).
As noted by Kathleen Kennedy, “I don’t know if we’ll spend a lot of time in flashbacks or Force ghosts or things like that, but certainly the spirit of what [Luke Skywalker] represents to [Rey] is going to be significant.”
Other projects—like The Mandalorian & Grogu and the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter film starring Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth—suggest a pivot to new storylines, away from the legacy heroes of the original trilogy.
Some fans have also suggested that if a young Luke does return, Lucasfilm should move ahead with recasting the character instead of de-aging Hamill. Sebastian Stan – best known for playing Bucky Barnes, AKA the Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – is often named as a potential successor.
Mark Hamill’s farewell is heartfelt but resolute. Luke Skywalker’s saga, as far as he’s concerned, has reached its end. And for a galaxy always in motion, the next generation of stories is just beginning.
