When the announcement was made that Star Wars would be making sequels, the cry came out wondering whether we would see Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher in the new movies. Rather unfortunately, the blunt response is “Who really cares?” We bought that Ewan McGregor was Obi Wan in the Prequel Trilogy. We bought that Alec Guinness was the same character in the original trilogy. The sad fact is that the mains could be replaced and we would still buy it. Now, there are actors who should be absolutely necessary to the new trilogy. They are like spices. They enhance the dish but they will also be what makes the dish the delicacy you want to eat.
7.
Warwick Davis
“You shall lick my nose and I shall kiss your snout.”
Whether you like it or not (and you probably don’t) , Endor along with the Ewoks is where the war ended. There was also the matter that Davis was filmed as walking in a Yoda costume. Davis was also present in the Pod Racer scene as a spectator. This makes Warwick Davis the spiritual heir to Jack Purvis. Purvis was an actor of short stature who appeared as a Jawa, Ugnaught, and Ewok. Not having Davis in the new trilogy would be almost as great a crime as not having Davis in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The part could either be Wicket (or King Wicket the Elder) or something else. The point is that Davis is now completely necessary.
6.
Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker
“Wow, I never realized all this time ‘weep woop wawa’ meant ‘Go suck it, you foppish English bastard.”
This one should go without saying but Star Wars simply is not Star Wars without C3P0 and R2D2. The Daniels / Baker combination is one of the few things the prequels got right. They are right up in the pantheon with Abbott / Costello, Wopat / Schneider, and Haim / Feldman. As a matter of fact, the very last scene of any Star Wars movie ever should actually reveal that the entire series of movies was nothing more than the holographic tapes in the memory deck of a broken R2D2. We know that C3P0’s memory decks were erased, however we think that there is a chance that the crafty little droid would have gotten around it. R2 always knew more than he was bleeping. There is the added dimension here that R2’s bleeps and language was done by sound master Ben Burtt. Burtt also appeared as the voice of the lead character in the Disney/Pixar film Wall-E.
5.
Frank Oz
“Give unto me a burger with cheese, but hold the fries.”
There is a rather controversial scene in the Timothy Zahn book Heir to the Empire in which Obi Wan tells Luke that he will never hear from Obi Wan’s ghost again. There is a possibility that Obi Wan met a female ghost ala Addams Family Values who decreed that the only way his ether rocks were getting off was to never talk to Luke again. We don’t know. The point is that there are ghosts in the Star Wars universe. There are historical documents. Yoda needs a voice in the new trilogy just like Obi Wan had in the first trilogy. It may be just to say one last good bye forever, but Yoda (and his voice) needs to have an influence.
4.
James Earl Jones
“I am Mufasa and you are my son..”
Again, just because Ani is dead doesn’t mean that he is done. Of course, James Earl Jones is getting up there in age. We wish him health and long life… but also would like him to record all of his lines in advance. The guy in the suit is not really important and for the record meeting David Prowse is not the greatest experience. The voice of Vader and his influence over the Skywalker family may be a small but pivotal scene. It still needs to be in there somewhere. For the record, there is only one voice for Vader. James Earl Jones is about as close as you can get to the voice of God. Even if there is simply reminiscence or if Luke hears the voice in his head, James Earl Jones voice needs to be in there somewhere if not even Darth Vader himself.
3.
Samuel L. Jackson
“I am a one eyed, one horned, flying purple bad mother….”
Here’s the deal. Samuel L. Jackson has stated that he wants in. If Samuel L. Jackson tells you he wants in, you put Samuel L. Jackson in your movie. If Samuel L. Jackson says he wants tacos, you inquire as to toppings. Mace Windu had his arm chopped off and was thrown out a window. Let be serious here, Masters have survived worse. Mace could have controlled the fall and lived. They never really show Sam Jack dying in Jurassic Park either. We don’t want Mace Windu as a ghost. Mace Windu needs to be a one hundred year old, one armed badass who can still rip through a Sith like a hot knife through butter. Mace ain’t dead. Mace is just waiting.
2.
Denis Lawson
“Who am I? You go fly out of two flaming Death Stars and then talk to me? Who are you, Bunky?”
Denis Lawson was Wedge Antilles. Wedge survived flying an X-Wing at a fully operational Death Star …twice. Wedge is the only man to do that. Luke was fencing and working out all of his Daddy issues during the second time. If you need a pilot, you want Wedge and not Luke. Denis Lawson was Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy. Denis Lawson is also related to Ewan McGregor giving a familial contribution to the second trilogy. Antilles might be an Admiral by now. Screw it, when the time comes, we want Wedge to throw a twenty four year old fly boy out of an X-Wing and fly the thing himself. Wedge deserves a Randy Quaid moment from Independence Day. We want to see Wedge fly into the belly of the beast screaming “Up yours, asshole.” Then, we want to see Wedge Antilles fly out one more time. That’s just how Wedge Antilles rolls. That’s how we all want to roll.
1.
John Razenberger
“It’s colder than Cambridge out here. Woody, grab me a beer!”
The answer: Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill. The question: Name three people who have never appeared in a Star Wars and a Disney/Pixar film. You know what actor represents the perfect marriage of the new company and the old? That actor is John Ratzenberger. As sort of a good luck charm, Ratzenberger has lent his voice to every Pixar movie starting with Toy Story. Ratzenberger was also famously a Rebel commander in the Hoth scene. Casting Ratzenberger is the closest thing the new series would have as a blessing with incense. This is considering that Lucasfilm and Pixar will probably be collaborating on moving the special effects forward. He is a wonderful actor and the cameo would be a knowing nod to diehard fans of both Star Wars and Disney. There is literally no reason for Ratzenberger not to show up in the new film.
Written by James Ciscell – Copyrighted © www.weirdworm.net
Image Sources
Image sources:
- – Warwick Davis: http://latimesherocomplex.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/warwick-davis-as-wicket-lucasfilm.jpg?w=326&h=450
- – Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker: anthony-daniels-and-kenny-baker
- – Frank Oz : http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iAn2VTQCrLM/Td0YwztXGXI/AAAAAAAABfA/4eQSbx0icM8/s1600/KTZ7ms8Vhnwmircg0s0yvdUwo1_r1_400.jpg
- – James Earl Jones: http://www.badassoftheweek.com/vader2.jpg
- – Samuel L. Jackson: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/ca/Mace_windu_with_saber.jpg/200px-Mace_windu_with_saber.jpg
- – Denis Lawson: http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/jekyll/images/450×187/denis_lawson.jpg
- – John Razenberger: http://slog.thestranger.com/files/2007/06/movie_bg.jpg
