A lively Reddit thread has reignited one of the Star Wars fandom’s most divisive debates: should Lucasfilm recast Luke Skywalker instead of relying on digital de-aging and CGI facsimiles? The idea, once controversial, is gaining fresh support among fans tired of what they call “nostalgia overkill.”
As Disney continues to lean on legacy characters, the conversation is shifting from reverence to realism. Actors age, some have passed on, and fans are growing weary of plastic-looking digital recreations that don’t quite hit the mark.
“I Love Mark Hamill, But…”: A Reddit Thread Sparks Heated Debate
It started with a single post from a Star Wars fan who clearly respects the legacy — but wants the franchise to move forward. The user, calling their post a “hot take,” suggested recasting Luke Skywalker to allow Mark Hamill to gracefully retire the role.
“I love Mark Hamill, he will always be Luke, his face is iconic, but we need to progress,” the user wrote. That part hit home for a lot of people.
They pointed to the awkward, stiff portrayals of young Luke in recent shows like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, where CGI de-aging was used to mixed reviews. “It’s just not convincing. We need more Luke, but the way we’re getting him now feels like a wax figure come to life.”
And then came the kicker: “If you hate the idea of Luke being recast, y’all are the reason Star Wars will never progress.”
Fans Don’t Hold Back — And the Support is Loud
While bold, the comment didn’t get the backlash you might expect. In fact, a surprising number of fans echoed the sentiment.
“Literally all the Original Trilogy crew — Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, and Lando — have been recast,” one user reminded readers. “They just prefer to CGI or AI their faces after the supposed failure of Solo.”
Another chimed in: “Bro not even a hot take, we’ve been asking for Sebastian Stan to play Luke for years!!”
Supporters of the idea threw out other names too:
Graham Hamilton, who performed as the body double for young Luke in The Book of Boba Fett
Alden Ehrenreich, who played Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story
Suggestions for a new Leia ranged from fan-favorite unknowns to rising stars in television
One fan summed it up bluntly: “The CGI doesn’t hold up for long stretches. It’s distracting, not immersive.”
The Ghost of Solo Still Haunts Recasting Efforts
The shadow of Solo: A Star Wars Story still looms large in this conversation. After the film struggled at the box office in 2018, despite eventually earning a cult following, Disney appeared to cool off on recasting iconic roles.
That caution may have steered them toward heavy CGI use instead, especially with Luke, whose younger self appears prominently in multiple recent projects. But many fans believe the wrong lesson was learned from Solo’s underperformance.
“It wasn’t Alden’s fault,” argued one commenter. “It was a bad marketing campaign, behind-the-scenes chaos, and Star Wars fatigue after The Last Jedi. The cast was solid.”
Basically, they say Disney is overcorrecting — prioritizing digital face-lifts over performance and character.
Some Want Fresh Faces, Not Just Younger Versions
Of course, not every fan is eager for more of the same characters. There’s a growing camp within the fandom that wants Disney to start telling stories that don’t lean so heavily on the Skywalker saga.
“It’s exhausting,” said one Redditor. “There’s a whole galaxy out there, and somehow we keep ending up back on Tatooine with the same 10 people.”
But even those fans admit: if Disney insists on using Luke and friends, they’d prefer recasts over uncanny CGI versions.
That’s the tension — many love the nostalgia, but they’re tired of digital puppetry. They want actors who can bring emotional depth and human spontaneity back to these roles.
Is Recasting the Only Way Forward?
It’s not just about recasting for convenience. It’s about preserving what made Luke — and the rest of the original crew — work in the first place: personality, emotion, performance.
Mark Hamill himself has expressed mixed feelings about continuing as Luke through digital trickery. In past interviews, he’s called the process “surreal” and has even questioned its future viability. He’s been generous with his legacy, but the man deserves a break.
And while the technology has improved dramatically, it’s still not perfect. A real face — with real expressions, real improvisation — is something CGI just can’t mimic, no matter how many terabytes you throw at it.
