A new rumor indicates that Star Wars veteran Mark Hamill inked a deal with Disney and Lucasfilm that will allow the companies to produce films featuring a CGI version of Luke Skywalker.
The rumor comes from Disney insider WDW Pro and was posted to the WDW Magic forums as part of a larger rumor regarding Disney’s future plans with CGI technology being used in live-action films.
Young Indiana Jones
Specifically WDW Pro details that according to their sources, “Disney is seeking to push forward with the same technology used to create movies such as The Lion King 2019 and The Jungle Book 2016, as well as human facial CGI seen in Rogue One, to begin work on an unnamed film that would be fully computer animated but presented as a live action film featuring human characters.”
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WDW Pro details that one of their sources indicates that this unnamed film is a movie about a young Indiana Jones.
YouTube channel Clownfish TV echoed this rumor and indicated they had previously heard about a young Indiana Jones.
Geeky Sparkles states, “I have heard about that they might be doing some more young Indiana Jones before. So that kind of does line up with the one thing I had heard previously.”
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Will Be The Testing Grounds
WDW Pro then details that this new CGI technology will be tested at Walt Disney World on the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride.
WDW Pro explains, “Specific to Walt Disney World, the interesting information is that due to Guardians of the Galaxy 3 film shooting being significantly delayed, the company is interested in using Cosmic Rewind as a proof of concept if they are unable to get the coaster film work completed by the actors in person on time.”
They then detail, “Given that the Young Indy film (if the one source is accurate) could be 3-5 years out, this provides perfect timing for Disney to test audiences’ reaction to the technology they’ve developed within an attraction.”
A decision should be made within the next two months according to WDW Pro on whether or not they will introduce CGI characters like Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord on the coaster.
Mark Hamill and Luke Skywalker
As far as how this pertains to Mark Hamill, Star Wars, and Lucasfilm, WDW Pro writes, “Meanwhile, Lucasfilm inked a deal with Mark Hammill without much fanfare within the past 18 months which permits them to produce films featuring a CGI Luke Skywalker.”
WDW Pro elaborates, “I’m told that within that contract, Disney also is given the ability to use CGI faux reality Luke in future adaptations of Galaxy’s Edge.”
Related: Rumor: Donald Glover To Return To Star Wars As Lando Calrissian
However, WDW Pro speculates that given Disney’s current financial situation it’s unlikely that a CGI faux reality Luke will arrive in Galaxy’s Edge any time soon.
WDW Pro writes, “Unfortunately, due to the abysmal financial situation, the latter may not come to fruition anytime soon.”
WDW Pro concludes the rumor noting that these rumored projects are part of a larger initiative within Disney to transition towards computer animation instead of actual actors.
“Both in the parks and in theaters, it is likely going forward that Disney will use the pandemic to slowly begin moving towards computer animation as a substitute for human actors,” WDW Pro explains.
Related: New Rumor Reveals Details On Alleged George Lucas Cut of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
They add, “Of course this doesn’t mean that Disney will immediately stop traditional live film, just that they have the capability for the first time in history (they believe), and they’re now prepared to move forward with it to some degree… if only because they never want to be in their current stalled position ever again.”
Galaxy’s Edge Reskinned To Original Trilogy
Clownfish TV speculates that based off this rumor Disney might actually be considering reskinning Galaxy’s Edge.
Kneon states, “Rise of the Resistance, in particular, seems like it was designed so it could potentially be reskinned.”
He goes on to cite recent comments made by former Walt Disney World Vice President Dan Cockerell. Cockerell detailed that Disney’s original plan for Galaxy’s Edge was to be based off George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy.
He would then detail that that original plan was scrapped due to the interference of Kathleen Kennedy.
Cockerell explained, “They said, ‘Well, yesterday Bob Iger met with Kathleen Kennedy, who as a lot people may know was sort of George Lucas’ protege and headed up Lucasfilm. And they had a conversation. They had a meeting. And Kathleen Kennedy, her point of view was, there are way more Disney Star Wars stories ahead of us than behind us.
He continued, “So we really should think about do we want to build a Tatooine, and build what all the fifty-somethings remember Star Wars is or do we want to build something else which is going to appeal to all the upcoming generations who are going to know the new stories.”
“And that day Tatooine was killed at the Studios. And all of those concepts were put on a shelf and I’m sure they are sitting in a vault, and I’m sure they’re going be shown someday about what that land looked like and what the attractions were going to be,” Cockerell concluded.
Luke Skywalker Solo Film
This most recent rumor from WDW Pro comes off another one from YouTuber Overlord Doomcock. In that rumor Doomcock detailed that Lucasfilm and Disney were in discussion for a Luke Skywalker film that will take place 10 years after Return of the Jedi.
Doomcock stated, “In addition to this, I’m told they are contemplating a new Luke Skywalker move set 10 years after The Return of the Jedi. Set in The Mandalorian timeline.”
He elaborated, “I think a reason they’re considering doing this instead of doing a Luke Skywalker set around the time of The Force Awakens is this. Part of the second scenario involves filming George Lucas’ trilogy as a replacement for the sequel trilogy, which lines up with my reporting of the rumored conditions Lucas set out for his return to Lucasfilm.”
Related: Rumor: George Lucas To Replace Kathleen Kennedy And Launch The Star Wars Verse
Maybe throwing a wrench in all of this is Mark Hamill’s public statements about returning to Luke Skywalker. Back in May, Hamill seemingly indicated he was done with the role of Luke Skywalker for the foreseeable future.
He wrote, “May The 9th Be A Bittersweet Episode- Knowing It Was The Last Time I Would Ever Play Luke #ByeByeSkywalker.”
Related: Ewan McGregor Reveals Key Details About Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ Series
However, as evidenced by Ewan McGregor’s comments about his return to Obi-Wan Kenobi, actors are no strangers to lying.
McGregor stated, “It’s a f****** massive relief. Because for four years, I’ve been having to lie to people about it.”
What do you make of this most recent rumor? Do you think we will see a CGI Luke Skywalker in our future? Do you think that Galaxy’s Edge might be reskinned for the original trilogy?