Mark Hamill Talks About the Notion of Recasting Princess Leia (VIDEO)

Last week, I told you guys about an internet petition to have Meryl Streep play Leia in Star Wars Episode IX and decided it wasn't the worst idea anyone ever had. It's basically the best bad idea they've come up with to date. In a new interview with Collider, seen above, Mark Hamill is asked about the notion of recasting Leia and his answer is interesting, but predictable...

"First of all, I don't know what the specific plans were for that character, but just the way Han Solo was more prominent in 7, Luke was more prominent in 8, we assumed that Leia would be more prominent in 9, especially since the dynamic of having Kylo Ren as her son... I think it would be tough recasting, only because she's so indelibly linked with that character. They've already ruled out the idea of computer-generating her performance like they did with Peter Cushing, so, gee, that's gotta be a really... not an insurmountable problem, but I know the script had been developed enough that when we lost her, they had to go back to square one. But she's irreplaceable, as far as I'm concerned."

Agree, she is irreplaceable, but what if we're not exactly replacing her so much as we are... supplementing the film with her character. I talk about pop culture alternate universes a lot, but one I would love to live in is the one where Carrie Fisher lived to play Leia in Star Wars Episode IX.

Hamill also had a few things to say about whether or not he'll be around for Episode IX...

"You know, I have to phrase it correctly because I had the most amazing entrance ever in my career in 7, I had this incredible exit in 8, so I didn't really have a beginning, middle and end, I had a beginning and an end, but it feels complete, in a way. Whatever they decide, you know, if it's minimal or non-existent, I'm fine with 9. But it's all up to Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams, who are writing it right now."

I think the truth of the matter is that he'll not only be back, but he'll have more to do in IX than he did in VIII. With Han Solo dead in canon and Leia dead in real life, I think that Terrio and Abrams will craft the script in such a way that Luke will be pivotal once again. Abrams loves nostalgia and the notion of making a Star Wars movie for him has everything to do with our nostalgia for Han, Luke, and Leia. With two sadly removed from the equation forever, he's gonna rely on the one he's got.

Let's also not forget how much force ghosting Obi-Wan did in Empire & Jedi. Watching them again recently, I was shocked by how much screen time Alec Guiness has in Empire, especially. I don't think it's an overreach to say that many of us are hoping he's gonna show up and pester the hell out of his shit-heel nephew.

[h/t Comic Book Movie]