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Rumor: Upcoming Star Wars Projects To Feature Deepfaked Luke, Han, and Leia

Industry professional Shaun O’Rourke recently posted on YouTube claiming to have heard rumors of the new Disney+ series that will be announced during the upcoming Star Wars Celebration. The upcoming Star Wars projects will reportedly consist of short films featuring the characters of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa, and will use deep fake technology to create era-appropriate versions of the main trio. The short films are expected to take place during the timeline of the original Star Wars trilogy, which first premiered in 1977 and was directed by George Lucas.

However, until officially confirmed or debunked by Lucasfilm, this rumor should be taken with a grain of salt. It is important to note that the use of deepfake technology in the film has become a controversial topic, and some have expressed concerns about the ethical implications of using such technology to create realistic portrayals of deceased actors. The original Star Wars trilogy followed Luke Skywalker as he became involved in a conflict between the Empire and Rebel Alliance. The trilogy was a resounding success with audiences and critics alike, and it cemented the iconic characters of Han Solo and Leia Organa in pop culture history.

 

The three main actors, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, reprised their roles in the first two sequels, which were also well-received and profitable. In recent years, Lucasfilm has experimented with deepfake technology, beginning with 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which superimposed the digital likenesses of Peter Cushing and Carrie Fisher onto Grand Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia Organa, respectively. The technology was also used to create a de-aged version of Leia in 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

 

Mark Hamill recently made a surprise cameo as Luke Skywalker in the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian, and the process of replicating Hamill’s likeness using deepfake technology was used for his cameo in The Book of Boba Fett. While deepfake technology has been used to create a younger version of Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones in an upcoming film, Lucasfilm has yet to use the same technology for a Han Solo project. It is worth noting that following the poor reception of 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy stated that legacy characters will not be recast moving forward.

 

Therefore, the use of deepfake technology to bring back Han Solo could be seen as a compromise, allowing the character to make appearances without recasting. The next Star Wars Celebration will be held in London, United Kingdom, between April 7 and 10, 2023. While fans eagerly await further announcements from Lucasfilm, it is important to approach rumors with skepticism until they are officially confirmed.

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