Hamill awaits news on new 'Star Wars'

Hamill awaits news on new ‘Star Wars’

BY JAMES ROYAL World Staff Writer
Friday, November 30, 2012

Will Mark Hamill be back as Luke Skywalker when “Star Wars Episode VII” hits the screen? E! Online asked Hamill about his thoughts on returning to the role that defined his career, and Hamill said he and Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) were still waiting to see where things go with the script before committing.

“We have questions about it,” Hamill told E! outside the premiere of his new movie, “Sushi Girl.” “And really, they’re not even at the stage where they’re able to answer those questions because, as far as I know, is there a story yet?”

Reports say that writer Michael Arndt (“Toy Story 3,” “Little Miss Sunshine”) has already put together a 40-to-50-page treatment for “Episode VII” and is working on the script for the movie, which is set for a 2015 release.

A director hasn’t been named, and at most only a handful of people really know what direction the story will take. Entertainment Weekly revealed that George Lucas told Hamill and Fisher about his intentions to make the sequels during a lunch last August, but Hamill said then that Lucas didn’t reveal anything about the plot or whether Luke and Leia would be part of the new trilogy.

Early reports said Fisher had confirmed her involvement in the film, but a representative for the actress said that her comments were just “tongue-in-cheek.” It’s widely assumed, though, that Luke, Leia and Han Solo will be back in some capacity, and at least one report even has Lando Calrissian in the new film. We can only hope Boba Fett will find his way out of the Sarlacc pit to return, as well.

If the new trilogy picks up shortly after “Return of the Jedi,” we probably won’t see familiar faces as the classic characters, which will lead to much fanboy angst over who will take over as Han, Luke, Leia and company. Hamill, 61, wouldn’t comment on who should replace him as Luke if he doesn’t reprise the role.

“If they were going to do a story where Luke was too young or too old for me to play, they would get an ageappropriate actor,” he told E! Online. “There’s so many good people."

The only thing Hamill made clear was that any future news won’t come from his lips.

“Until I know more about what they have in mind, I think it’s better to let Lucas Film make the announcements,” he said.

Associated Images:

Actor Mark Hamill appears at Comic-Con earlier this year. Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, said he and co-star Carrie Fisher had questions about the upcoming film in the series. Associated Press file