Can recasting Star Wars work?

[ChrisIII]

For Carrie I think they had the blessing of Billie Lourd who of course played a supporting character in the trilogy, and even stood in for her mother in ROS's flashback scene (The lightsaber duel with Luke & Leia).

It's a bit easier for the masked characters I think. RD-D2 Fett, Vader, and Chewbacca are all played by new actors or effects although that's been the case for a while. Even in the original trilogy, Prowse-despite his insistence-was not the only Vader actor in the suit, as there were some who did the fighting and even a hand/glove double for a few scenes when that was all the shot needed. Jeremy Bulloch also wasn't Fett in the new special edition shots but some ILM shots.

I think Anthony Daniels has somehow done 3PO and his voice at pretty much every appearance in suit except probably a few video games and the TPM puppet (although funny thing is, when AOTC tried filming some scenes with puppet 3PO, it was actually Daniels puppeteering him, but they decided to ditch that and just give us the covered Threepio). Although he's nearly 80 so I'm not sure if he'll do that much longer, or at least switch to voice-only.


Interesting thing about Palpatine, Ian was only brought back for Rebels/Bad Batch in part because Ian Ambercrombie had passed away and Tim Curry had a stroke.

[Ascended]

Oh yeah, if we're talking droids and people who never take off their helmets then do whatever. I'd like the same voice/actor whenever possible, just for consistency, but if we never see their faces anyway it doesn't matter too much.

[ChrisIII]

There is of course a third option that's sometimes is used-the character's face change is brought up as a story point, although I can't see this really working with Star Wars.

It's of course the major explanation in DOCTOR WHO whenever the Doctor is recast; The Doctor gets fatally wounded but can be "regenerated" but it changes his physical appearance and aspects of his personality-but it also allows for each actor to have his own take/gives the show variety.

Bond has considered in the past showing Bond getting plastic surgery. There is of course the popular "James Bond is a code name" and the famous fourth wall break in OHMSS.

Read a rumor this was strongly considered for Mark Rufallo's Hulk looking different from Ed Norton's; the main excuse being that he was on the run and would have had work done although it wouldn't really be effective since he'd still turn big and green even if the face is different.

This is probably going to be what the Witcher will do at the end of this season for the Cavill/Hemsworth change. Pretty sure spells or potions that can change one's face or form is a big part of the lore in the books and games.

[krazijoe]

I say we end the Skywalker Saga and move on to new or old times.

[ChrisIII]

Might depend if the Rey movie-if it gets made-will serve as either some sort of "coda"/fix for the sequel trilogy or as the start of something new.

[LordMikel]

I had a thought the other day. The easiest way to recast. They could have done ala, "How I met your father" or "Young Sheldon." Cast Mark Hamill, to be telling stories under after Return of the Jedi, it could be tales of Rogue Squadron infiltrating or his adventures. Then cast a younger actor to be portraying Luke Skywalker.

[Jokerz79]

Time to let Luke, Leia, and Han go.

[Ascended]

Time to let Luke, Leia, and Han go.

I'd be fine with that, but for three things.

1, The franchise hasn't moved on from the OT/Imperial era, they're still telling stories in that timeframe. 2, they have the ability to keep using the original characters in ways audiences have accepted and enjoyed, whether that's recasting (Lando) or doing cgi (Luke). 3, we never got anything out of the OT when they were in their primes.

If the franchise decides it's time to let the original characters rest and be done, then all well and good. But I'd very much like one last story about them, when they're all at their best and most powerful/influential, to give them a proper sendoff. Doesn't even have to be anything big, an hour-long special on D+ would be enough for me. Just one more adventure, that's all I need and then I'd be fine letting the OT go.

[godisawesome]

I'd be fine with that, but for three things.

1, The franchise hasn't moved on from the OT/Imperial era, they're still telling stories in that timeframe. 2, they have the ability to keep using the original characters in ways audiences have accepted and enjoyed, whether that's recasting (Lando) or doing cgi (Luke). 3, we never got anything out of the OT when they were in their primes.

If the franchise decides it's time to let the original characters rest and be done, then all well and good. But I'd very much like one last story about them, when they're all at their best and most powerful/influential, to give them a proper sendoff. Doesn't even have to be anything big, an hour-long special on D+ would be enough for me. Just one more adventure, that's all I need and then I'd be fine letting the OT go.

That's sort of why I think recasting is the best idea if any major role in a story is required. The CGI double can work for cameos and guest appearances, but even when perfected, it puts too many restraints on an actual actor for a larger story.

[Jokerz79]

Luke, Leia, and Han had a proper sendoff it was called Return of the Jedi.

Edit:

Back in the 90's there was TNG, DS9, & VOY and they each had adventures where they saved Starfleet, the Federation, and even the Galaxy. But you never needed them to crossover to do so. In Flash Bruce needs help at the beginning of the film but Superman is busy with another crisis, so he gets Flash.

I don't need Luke, Han, or Leia in the Thrawn storyline they're off doing other stuff. I'd only want Luke just to shut up the "Whamen" crowd who will claim they're stealing a Luke story. But personally, I would prefer he never shows up. If he does show up, I'd rather it be a recast Sebastian Stan is a good choice. As for the future I wouldn't mind Force Ghost Hamill Luke guiding Rey, but that's it.

Luke, Leia, and Han had a perfect story in the original trilogy it should have ended there.

[KurtW95]

No. And while it's not a popular opinion, I fully support facial and vocal AI deepfakes with the actors' permissions or permissions of their families. But we'd also have to hope actors whose face and voice are changed are humble enough to accept it. But then again, Park and Prowse get a lot of credit, despite not being the voice of their characters. And not seeing Prowse's face at all.

Really in this month alone, I've seen such crazy advancements in that I find it hard to think this isn't going to happen a lot with actors who consent.

[ChrisIII]

Ahsoka just use O' Reilly as a post-ROTJ Mon Mothma, although she's not 'as big' a character and by this point I think O' Reilly is considered the 'definitive' one over Caroline Blakistan's small ROTJ role.

[KurtW95]

Ahsoka just use O' Reilly as a post-ROTJ Mon Mothma, although she's not 'as big' a character and by this point I think O' Reilly is considered the 'definitive' one over Caroline Blakistan's small ROTJ role.

Those two look enough alike that it works. Though they did a much better job of making O'Reilly look like Blakiston in Rogue One than they did in Andor.

[ChrisIII]

She's generally younger in Andor-although her Ahsoka appearance has the longer hair from that series (Maybe they were filmed at roughly the same time, like how adding Mcdiarmid and Hayden to the ESB and ROTJ 2004 DVDs were done during ROTS's production. I wouldn't be surprised if Hayden likewise recorded some Ashoka scenes while filming Obi-Wan) although her voice and poise seemed a bit closer to Rogue One/Blakiston than the complex emotions of the wife and senator from Andor.

[Ascended]

Luke, Leia, and Han had a perfect story in the original trilogy it should have ended there.

But it didn't. The novels kept the story going, for what that's worth, and then the sequels took a giant dump on all of them. And now that should be fixed and these guys deserve a proper sendoff, even if it's set years earlier in the fictional timeline.

That's sort of why I think recasting is the best idea if any major role in a story is required. The CGI double can work for cameos and guest appearances, but even when perfected, it puts too many restraints on an actual actor for a larger story.

Recasting is likely the best choice for any project that focuses on the OT. The cgi is fine for cameos, but is likely still too time consuming and expensive for main character stuff, even if the process gets smoothed out enough to escape the uncanny valley.