Mark Hamill clarifies that talks for ‘Star Wars Episode VII’ are underway, but not a lock
Harrison Ford was rumored to be set for the next Star Wars film, but now Mark Hamill’s comments call that into question.
This week Showbiz 411 reported that Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford were all set to return, although an earlier report said a deal with Ford wouldn’t be closed for weeks or possibly months. In this case, it’s best to go straight to the source, and Hamill confirmed his earlier comments that George Lucas wanted to know if they were interested, and that the filmmakers have been talking to them.
“It’s all very, very exciting and so unexpected,” says Hamill to ET about the news of Star Wars Episode VII. “I think that’s the quality I like about it most – it’s like getting a pair of pants out of the closet you haven’t worn in three years and finding a $20 bill in the pocket. It’s just so unexpected.”
Hamill strongly hinted at how Luke will be depicted in the sequel.
“I’m assuming—because I haven’t talked to the writers—that these movies would be about our offspring, like my character would be sort of in the Obi-wan range [as] an influential character. When I found out [while making the original trilogy] that ultimate good news/bad news joke the good news is there’s a real attractive, hot girl in the universe; the bad news is she’s your sister. I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to wind up like Sir Alec [Guinness]. I’m going to be a lonely old hermit living out in some kind of desert igloo with a couple of robots.’”
Lucas and Hamill may have different visions of the Star Wars universe with the latter seeking a retro feel.
“I said to George that I wanted to go back to the way it was, in the sense that ours was much more carefree and lighthearted and humorous, in my opinion, anyway….hope they find the right balance of CGI with practical effects. I love props, I love models, miniatures, matte paintings — I’m sort of old school. I think if you go too far in the direction of CGI it winds up looking like just a giant a video game, and that’s unfortunate. If they listen to me at all, it’ll be, ‘Lighten up and go retro with the way it looks.’”
Hamill would also prefer some throwbacks in terms of bringing back more than Luke, Leia, and Han Solo:
“Another thing I’d want to make sure of is are we going to have the whole gang back? Is Carrie and Harrison and Billy Dee [Lando Calrissian] and Tony Daniels [C-3PO], everybody that’s around from the original [returning]? I want to make sure that everybody’s on board here, rather than just one.”
Check out the whole interview here