We’ve known for some time that Mark Hamill would be returning to a galaxy far, far away when he reprises his role of Luke Skywalker in J.J. Abrams’ ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens.’ He’ll join a number of original cast members like Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, plus some of the brightest stars in Hollywood today like Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o, and more. We’ve also heard a number of rumors concerning the original ‘Star Wars’ characters and what roles they’ll play in the first chapter of the sequel trilogy. Now, the latest rumor says that we’ll see be seeing two Skywalkers in the upcoming film… and they’re both Luke!
According to Making Star Wars, relatively unknown actor Robert Boutler has been cast as none other than Luke Skywalker in ‘Episode VII.’ But how is this possible when Hamill is already playing the science fiction icon? Well, it turns out that he could be playing a young Luke Skywalker in a flashback. Reports are saying that Boutler has an “important” role in the film and that a character referred to as “The Young Original Warrior” is the part that he landed. If these sources are to be believed, that description is the codename being used for the younger version of the Jedi Knight.
Another rumor going around is that Luke’s son will play a part in ‘The Force Awakens.’ It’s possible that Boutler could be playing a Skywalker spawn rather than the original hero himself. After all, there is a striking resemblance between Hamill and Boutler. He could easily pass for a younger version of the veteran actor or some kind of relative.
Naturally, this should all be taken with a grain of salt as none of this information has been confirmed yet. But until we know for sure, what do you think of Robert Boutler playing a young Luke Skywalker? How do you think a younger version of the character will play into the plot? Share your thoughts and theories in the comments below.
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ starring John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker premieres on December 18, 2015.