Ever since its release and subsequent success back in December – $619 million domestic for a global total north of $1.3 billion – The Last Jedi has truly become the most hotly-contested addition to the core Star Wars saga. And that’s not a phrase to be taken lightly.
For weeks – nay, months – the sequel’s cast and crew have carefully explained many of the creative decisions behind Rey’s parentage, Snoke’s grisly fate, Kylo Ren’s topless scene and the death of Luke Skywalker on Crait. Or should that be Ahch-To?
Nevertheless, much of that debate has been pointed in the direction of Rian Johnson and Mark Hamill – the director and the Jedi – who, to their credit, have been pretty forthcoming about the deliberations and general brainstorming that went on behind the scenes.
Case in point: Mark Hamill recently spoke to IGN about some of the content that didn’t make the cut, and it was here where the franchise veteran lamented the decision to remove Luke’s reaction to the news that Han Solo, his loyal partner, had perished.
Yes, of course, because it shows Luke was putting on a facade in front of Rey and even Chewie, that he was embittered and sort of a broken man. And I think the fact that he could let his emotions out when he was by himself would have made an impact on the audience because it allowed them to grieve the loss of Han Solo just the way Luke felt it.
Hamill continued:
But that always happens in films. You say, ‘Oh, what about this scene where this happens or that happens?’ Because you want to give the fullest experience that you can. And like you say, it was brief enough that I was — [chuckles] They had time for me to milk that big alien but to show any human emotion? Nah, we don’t have time for that. But again it’s not my call.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is now available across Blu-ray and DVD (buy it here), while Solo: A Star Wars Story is expected to take the franchise back to the past on May 25th.
