Since the deepfaked appearance of Luke Skywalker in The Book of Boba Fett, Star Wars fans have been embroiled in discussion about the technologies use in their cherished universe. The debate on recasting or digital de-ageing has reared its head once more in the wake of The Mandalorian season 3. Fans still can’t decide if they would prefer new incarnations of beloved characters or if they would rather see AI-generated versions of long-time actors. With the re-release of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi looming, fans are wondering if they might spy Mark Hamill at the theater. Meanwhile, Emily Swallow is enjoying her role in the latest season of The Mandalorian. The latest episode has put plenty of fans on edge around her enigmatic character — the Armorer — and Swallow is happy to leave them guessing.
What’s better: digitally de-aging or recasting fan favorite characters?
With the lengthy tenure of the Star Wars universe — and Disney’s push to continue including long-time fan favorites in their projects — the debate of recasting or digitally de-aging has yet again reared its head. The franchise is no stranger to either option, with Mark Hamill returning as a digitally de-aged version of Luke Skywalker in the Book of Boba Fett. Using a combination of AI, clips of Hamill’s voice from the ’70s and ’80s, and a stunt double that matched the proportions of the 20-something Luke, Disney brought the beloved Jedi back into the Star Wars fold for another generation. Fan reaction was torn over the inclusion of the AI-created character, with some feeling it was well executed and others thinking it crossed a line that Hollywood should never even think about. Fans that felt the deep-faked Luke was too creepy to keep around called for the studio to recast Luke with Falcon and the Winter Soldier actor Sebastian Stan, a move that Mark Hamill himself approved of.
On the other hand, actor Alden Ehrenreich — who played Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story, and even had Harrison Ford’s blessing — failed to gain the fan support necessary to ensure he could reprise the role again in the future. While Han and Luke were their own bag of weirdness, most fans were unanimous in their disgust revolving around the return of long-dead actor Peter Cushing for Grand Moff Tarkin. While the Twitter debate raged, fans still seemed split. Many felt the characters were much more than their actors at this point, and that the ethical dilemma behind using the likeness of those actors who were long since passed and thus had no chance of recompense for their work, was a little too dystopian to bare.
Mark Hamill’s kids want him to watch Star Wars with his fans for the 40th anniversary
It’s been 40 years since the premiere of the iconic sci-fi film Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, and select theaters are having a one night only event celebrating the movie’s legacy. The flick had a limited release back in 1997 for the special edition, and Mark Hamill says that was the only time he ever managed to see the movie. His admission has fans (as well as his adult children) hoping that the actor will take the opportunity to indulge in the classic movie now that he has another chance. Hamill hasn’t confirmed or denied his trip to the theater, but it hasn’t stopped fans from buzzing about the possibility of watching the Return of the Jedi next to Luke Skywalker himself.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi is returning to theaters April 28.
Emily Swallow is having a really great time playing with fans’ minds
The Mandalorian star Emily Swallow has been a staple of the series since its premiere back in 2019. Her character — The Armorer — has been a steadfast and gracious leader for her sect of the fragmented Mandalorians, and quickly emerged as a fan favorite. Her pragmatic and badass nature had fans hoping she could emerge as a runner for ruler of Mandalore, but recent events in the series now have some people questioning her motivations.
There are some spoilers ahead, so if you’re not caught up on the latest episodes of the series, turn back now.
The second-to-last episode of the series has fans reconsidering their love for the stoic woman, with many feeling the emergence of a beskar-clad Moff Gideon signaled the enigmatic leader as a turncoat. The strange disappearance of the character just before Gideon’s attack, as well as the similarities in the pair’s armor, has all but convinced fans that the Armorer may not be all that she seems. Swallow was incredibly tight-lipped during her interview with DiscussingFilm, but she did say that “..I hope that people will see that there is value in allowing yourself to be uncomfortable and in listening to opinions that are challenging to you and working through that discomfort.” While it doesn’t exactly signal the Armorer’s betrayal of Din Djarin and the other Mandalorians, plenty of fans felt the character’s cagey behavior has already confirmed their worst fears. Dave Filoni has been very candid about the blurred line between good and evil in the upcoming Star Wars installments, so perhaps the Armorer is just another soul trying to enact change in all the wrong ways.
The thrilling conclusion of The Mandalorian season three premieres on Disney Plus on April 19.