With Disney planning to start production Star Wars Episode 7, speculation has begun circulating over whether or not the stars of the original trilogy would be willing to return. At least one of the original Star Wars cast members appears to be ready to reprise their role, according to Entertainment Weekly. A source told the magazine that Harrison Ford is open to reprising his role as Han Solo in the upcoming film, and that co-stars Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher may return as Luke and Leia Skywalker.
“Harrisonis open to the idea of doing the movie and he’s upbeat about it, all three of them are,” the source described as “close to Ford,” said. The source claims that Ford will wait until Disney has a director and script in place before entering into negotiations to return. Released in 1983, Return of the Jedi was the last of the original Star Wars trilogy to be released, making it 29 years since Ford played Han Solo.
Prior to the completion of Return of the Jedi, Ford had asked Star Wars creator George Lucas to kill off his character in the film, in order to give the film “some bottom.” Writers chose to preserve the space smuggling Solo instead, due to the character’s strong toy sales. Solo and the entire Star Wars brand has continued to prove invaluable, spawning a new trilogy of movies along with a bevy of video games and other merchandise.
Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, the protagonist of the old films, told Entertainment Weekly that both he and Fisher were told of the series’ probable return back in August during a private lunch with Lucas. He commented on the skepticism and speculation surrounding Disney’s decision to renew the franchise.
“I can see both sides of it because in a way, there was a beginning, a middle, and an end and we all lived happily ever after and that’s the way it should be — and it’s great that people have fond memories, if they do have fond memories,” Hamill said. “But on the other hand, there’s this ravenous desire on the part of the true believers to have more and more and more material.”
