This week, Adam Driver of Star Wars fame celebrated 35 years on this planet, prompting Mark Hamill to send a special message clarifying that the Kylo Ren actor is much nicer in person than he is on the screen.
Hamill’s tweet cheekily avoids mentioning that it was Driver’s birthday, instead presenting his words as a completely spontaneous tribute to his famed “Space Nephew”:
“SHOUT OUT to Adam Driver for no particular reason other than being an incredibly versatile actor, a truly kind person & someone who doesn’t get the credit he deserves for a delightful sense of humor or his expert karaoke skills.
#MyNiceNotNefariousSpaceNephewWhoShouldSmileMore”
Though Luke Skywalker departed the world of the living in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the series regular is already confirmed to return in Star Wars: Episode IX. And while the number of rumors surrounding the character’s role seems way out of proportion with the amount of screen time he’s likely to get, surely Lucasfilm wouldn’t announce Hamill’s involvement this early if a Yoda-style cameo was the most they had in mind.
Nonetheless, you can expect Luke’s nephew to dominate the film’s plot. In particular, Kylo’s tumultuous relationship with Rey seems on course to hit its climax, and given all the wrong that Driver’s character has committed in his first two movies, it’s a popular prediction right now that a heroic self-sacrifice is the best that he can hope for.
Either way, Driver has previously teased that Episode IX is leading up to something big for his character, but he refuses to say more on the matter. His fictional uncle, meanwhile, is similarly tight-lipped, explaining on Twitter last month that he won’t be answering any questions about J.J. Abrams’ next film.
Regardless, all will be revealed when Star Wars: Episode IX hits theaters on December 20th, 2019.
