Get ready for some not-so-fangtastic news. The mythical and legendary creature of the shadows Jim may not be returning to What We Do In the Shadows anytime soon. That is, if it depends on Mark Hamill.
But fear not, for Hamill shares our love for the series, and there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation behind his decision. In an interview with Esquire, the iconic Star Wars actor spilled the blood about his time on the hilarious comedy show What We Do In the Shadows. Enthralled by its comedy and stellar screenwriting — led by none other than Taika Waititi — the mockumentary completely tugged at Hamill’s heartstrings, so it does make sense that he doesn’t wish to stain his memories.
“The fact that they named him Jim the Vampire, not Vlad or anything,” Hamill says, “the mundane with the mythical — it just encapsulates their humor exactly. And it was just a joy. Normally, it’s better not to be on a show you like, because it changes the way you see it. You see the sets. You meet the actors. I know it’s not real, but in terms of fantasy, you never see it quite the same way again… In a way, I hope they don’t ask me back because, for me, that was just the perfect episode.”
In case Jim’s memorable appearance slipped your mind, don’t worry, allow us to revive your memory. In a beautifully wacky episode in season two, we meet Jim, a vampire who rented his beach house to Laszlo in 1853. After Laszlo forgot to pay his rent (purposefully) and refused to do it for years on end, Jim kept relentlessly chasing after him for over 150 years, only to become enthralled by the world of women’s volleyball, forgetting all about Laszlo’s debt in exchange of a singing fish. Yes, this is a real episode.
Albeit it is just a taste of the hilarity and absurdity that awaits audiences in this exceptional series, Hamill rightfully wishes for it to be his last involvement in the mockumentary. After all, it is hard to top having Matt Berry and Hamill fighting at a Western bar while raising money for a volleyball team. The actor will also be very busy with Star Wars in the near future, so maybe vampire shenanigans may not be at the top of his priorities.
What We Do In the Shadows will still be back for season five on July 13 on Disney Plus, but it will surely be Hamill-less.