- As Star Wars continues to expand, recasting iconic characters may become necessary due to age constraints on original actors.
- Characters like Luke Skywalker are protected by audiences, but even he has been played by stand-ins like Max Lloyd-Jones.
- The New Republic era in The Mandalorian & Grogu brings opportunities for characters like Leia Organa to be reintroduced via recasts, despite challenges after Fisher's passing.
With Star Wars’ next upcoming movie The Mandalorian & Grogu on the horizon, it might be time for the franchise to recast one iconic character. Because Star Wars has been around for nearly 50 years, actors from the original and prequel trilogies are often too old to reprise their roles. Even in animation, it’s not uncommon for voice actors to take over the role for animated projects. This was seen a lot in Star Wars with Star Wars: The Clone Wars, where the only actor reprising their role for the animated show was Anthony Daniels as C-3PO.
While recasting has been a norm in Star Wars lately, there are a few characters that audiences are particularly protective of. For example, Luke Skywalker has hardly been played by anyone other than Mark Hamill. Grant Feely took over the role for Obi-Wan Kenobi because he was playing a ten-year-old Luke. However, in titles like The Mandalorian, Mark Hamill was able to share the role of Luke with Max Lloyd-Jones, who acted as a stand-in. With the passing of other Star Wars actors, it’s becoming more of a hot-button issue if Star Wars should continue using deep-fake technology, or recast.
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The end of The Mandalorian season 3 saw Din Djarin making a deal with Carson Teva to work with the New Republic to help patrol the Outer Rim. While Din Djarin is not working for the New Republic, he will be working with them. Footage from The Mandalorian & Grogu shown at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event showed Din Djarin aboard a ship with Zeb Orrelios, who is known to be training New Republic pilots. Additionally, at D23, Din Djarin’s likeness was seen advertised in front of a New Republic logo.
Part of being connected with the New Republic means that there’s a chance that higher-ranking members of the government could appear, especially if and when a conspiracy arises. While seeing characters like Mon Mothma would be cool, someone far more likely to make their way to the Outer Rim would be Leia Organa. Not only does she personally know many of the pilots stationed at the Adelphi base, like Carson Teva and Zeb Orrelios, but she is also a senator for the New Republic and leader of the Defense Council.
Din Djarin was once a lone bounty who has since tasked himself with raising his adopted son and Mandalorian apprentice, Grogu. Born on Aq Vetina and raised on Concordia by the Mandalorian faction the Children of the Watch, Din is an orphan and Mandalorian foundling who has risked both his life and his Mandalorian Creed to protect Grogu. Djarin has become an important part of the galaxy's fight against the Imperial Remnant that lingers in the wake of the Empire's fall, as he is now working under-the-table for the fledgling New Republic's rangers.
After the defeat of the Empire and the subsequent rise of the New Republic, Leia Organa was integral in rebuilding what was lost when Palpatine took over. She was a key advisor to Mon Mothma and was one of the most trusted people in her inner circle. In fact, in Claudia Gray’s novel Bloodline, Leia Organa is poised to be the First Senator of the New Republic, a position meant to replace the chancellor after Mon Mothma's term. She was well-liked by many and was seen as a war hero.
After it was made public that Leia’s biological father was Darth Vader, much of the public support she had evaporated, and she left the New Republic government to form the Resistance as the growing threat of the First Order loomed.
The only reason why Leia’s campaign for First Senator ended was because her parentage was revealed. After it was made public that Leia’s biological father was Darth Vader, much of the public support she had evaporated, and she left the New Republic government to form the Resistance as the growing threat of the First Order loomed. Leia’s fall from grace in the New Republic was devastating, but she was also very powerful while she held office, making her a vital part of that time of the Star Wars timeline.
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After the death of Carrie Fisher, Star Wars has been struggling with bringing Leia’s character to screen. Oftentimes, shows avoid bringing her character into stories where she likely belongs, because they’re scared of audience reception or dishonoring Carrie Fisher’s legacy. However, in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Leia was briefly played by Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd, leaving audiences thinking that Lourd is the perfect person to continue Leia Organa’s story.
It will be hard for Star Wars to tell upcoming stories set within the New Republic without Leia. Cutting out her character simply because the franchise does not want to recast her is a huge insult to one of the most iconic Star Wars characters. With Leia’s position in the New Republic when The Mandalorian & Grogu is set, having her be absent would be a huge misstep for Star Wars. While honoring Carrie Fisher’s memory and legacy within Star Wars is important, if having her character be absent will hurt The Mandalorian & Grogu, then Leia should be recast.
The Mandalorian & Grogu is currently in production.
Upcoming Star Wars Movies
Release Date
The Mandalorian & Grogu
May 22, 2024