Posted in: Disney+, Star Wars, streaming, TV | Tagged: disney, Luke Skywalker, mark hamill, star wars, The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian: Mark Hamill Proves He Put in the Luke Skywalker Work
The Star Wars franchise has a complicated relationship with CGI since creator George Lucas was also a special effects revolutionary since his original trilogy. When he decided to revisit them for the Special Editions in the late 1990s, portions of the film were visually enhanced over the existing practical effects to mixed reactions. That was a precursor to what was to come as Lucas followed up with the green screen-heavily prequels starting with 1999's The Phantom Menace. The franchise's relationship with CGI went another level when it entered the Disney era as body doubles were used for Carrie Fisher and Peter Cushing for 2016's Rogue One with permission from the actress and late actor's estate to play Princess Leia and Grand Moff Tarken, respectively. With The Mandalorian on Disney+, CG again was used, this time to deage actor Mark Hamill as a younger Luke Skywalker to fan skepticism, and the actor took to social media to remind them that it was him they filmed before the digital changes were made.
"This is for those who claimed the character was accomplished exclusively with CGI, without my participation. #BeenThere_DoneThat," Hamill quote retweeted the Star Wars Behind the Scenes Photos account showing him physically in the black Jedi robes in the character's appearance in the season two finale. The big mystery surrounding season two of the Disney+ series was who was Grogu's master and Luke (circa Return of the Jedi) showed up to save the day on Moff Gideon's (Giancarlo Esposito) imperial light battlecruiser. While Grogu resumed his Jedi training, we pick up on the two in The Book of Boba Fett, where Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), his initial protector, came to visit to offer him Beskar chainmail. In the moment of truth, Luke made Grogu pick between his lightsaber and Mando's gift because a Jedi is supposed to give up personal attachments…while offering the very object that solidifies his Jedi status.