Samuel L. Jackson Says ‘Star Wars: Episode 7′ Director J.J. Abrams Hasn’t Contacted Mark Hamill
'Star Wars: Episode 7' has been rumoring the return of original cast members since the project was announced, but as the film is taking a new direction now that J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan have taken over scripting duties, it's possible that the original cast may no longer have a role in the production. Former Jedi Samuel L. Jackson has spoken to Mark Hamill about returning as Luke Skywalker, and revealed that Hamill hasn't spoken to Abrams.
This happened on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' (a clip we were alerted to by Jedi News) where Jackson confirmed he has no involvement in the new 'Star Wars,' that Hamill hasn't heard from Abrams, and that Ewan McGregor -- who played a young Obi-Wan Kenobi -- hasn't been contacted either. At least not yet.
Early word suggested that Hamill's role was confirmed by Kathleen Kennedy, the new producer on the series, and there were rumors that he was already in training to come back, while the actor has previously speculated about his role. Of course, getting Mark Hamill to return and making sure he's available might not be the highest of priorities for Abrams and company as they've obviously had a dramatic course change with the direction of the first episode of the new trilogy and all word is that they're going to have to start moving forward quickly if they're to meet the announced December 18, 2015 release date. Then again, this is J.J. Abrams' 'Star Wars,' and it's likely we won't know for sure who's in or out of the movie until it actually screens.