Of every cameo Star Wars brought back to the franchise, Luke Skywalker in the flesh remains legendary. However, despite sentimental reasons and the advanced technology, Mark Hamill recently admitted he had been hesitant to return. Here's why.
What were Mark Hamill's True Feelings About Reprising Luke Skywalker?
Mark Hamill has said he was initially reluctant to reprise his iconic Star Wars role, believing that Disney wouldn't be able to "catch lightning in a bottle twice."
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Hamill admitted he had "real reservations" about returning and that Disney would understand; however, he changed his mind after finding out that his former co-star Harrison Ford was coming back as Han Solo.
"I had real reservations about coming back," Hamill told the news outlet, "I thought it would be a mistake. They should really focus on a new generation of characters. Once I saw in the press that [Ford] had accepted, I felt like I had been drafted."
Thanks to Ford's agreement to return, Hamill saw his comeback in a different light, "Because if I'm the only one who says no, I'll be the most hated man in nerd-dom."
Hamill reprised Luke Skywalker in notable projects, including all three of the series' sequel trilogy movies, a cameo at the end of The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and in The Rise of Skywalker. Meanwhile, his appearance in The Mandalorian is a different story altogether.
What Compelled Mark Hamill to Return to the Galaxy Far, Far Away?
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According to Hamill, The Mandalorian gave Luke "a beginning and an end" in which it saw an accurate development to how his character's journey would come to its peak.
"It was like making a trilogy about James Bond as a young boy who first became aware of the Secret Service and wanted to be a part of it," Hamill explained, "Part two was him training to be an agent. Part three is earning his license to kill. The end. No From Russia with Love, Dr. No or Goldfinger. You never got to see Luke as a Master Jedi at the peak of his powers."
Hamill also had nothing but praise for the series and its creators, "Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, boy, do they get Star Wars. They get it. They're speaking the same language that George did in a way that I questioned in the sequels."
Meanwhile, The Mandalorian and Grogu premieres on the big screens on May 22, 2026.
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