Wondering if Mark Hamill might ever reprise his role as a Force ghost of Luke Skywalker? Think again. The iconic actor has closed the door on returning to the legendary sci-fi series, suggesting it's time for Star Wars to leave its legacy characters behind and embrace the future.
In a ComicBook.com interview promoting his latest film, The Life of Chuck, Hamill was asked about potentially appearing as Luke’s Force ghost in the upcoming Rey-led Star Wars installment, New Jedi Order. His response was definitive: absolutely not. After all, Luke symbolically left his robe behind in 2017's The Last Jedi.
“I’ll always be grateful to George [Lucas] for giving me that opportunity so long ago, back in the humble days when he called Star Wars ‘the most expensive low-budget movie ever made,’” Hamill responded.
“We never imagined it would evolve into a lasting franchise and a fixture of pop culture. But for me, that chapter is closed. I’m thankful for the experience, yet I truly believe the focus should shift to the future and a new generation of characters.”
“And just to be clear—when my character vanished in [The Last Jedi], he left his robes behind. There’s no chance you’ll see me return as a Force ghost without them.”
Rey, however, will make her return to the Star Wars galaxy in a new film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy—a sequel to the critically panned Star Wars: Episode 9 - The Rise of Skywalker. The story will follow Rey as she attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order about 15 years after the events of the previous film.
Details about New Jedi Order remain scarce. In a January 2024 interview with AlloCiné, Ridley offered a few hints: "Once I learned what the story was about, I knew it was something I really wanted to do," she revealed. “It’s a fresh and exciting exploration of the Star Wars universe—a bold new direction for the saga."
In the meantime, fans can look forward to The Mandalorian and Grogu in 2026. Star Wars: Starfighter, a Shawn Levy-directed project starring Ryan Gosling, is slated for 2027.
Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and TV Show
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At the 2023 Star Wars Celebration, Lucasfilm unveiled plans for three new Star Wars films: a New Republic movie set in Dave Filoni's Mando-verse, James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi, and the already mentioned New Jedi Order.
Much may still change regarding upcoming Star Wars films and series. But one thing is certain: Mark Hamill won’t be making an appearance as a Force ghost version of Luke.
