Disney CEO: Star Wars 8 Features Hamill’s Best Performance as Luke

Disney CEO Bob Iger continues to hype up Star Wars: The Last Jedi, saying this is Mark Hamill’s best performance to date as Luke Skywalker. Hamill made his much anticipated return to the famed Jedi role ever so briefly in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but he’ll have a much bigger role to play this winter. As evident by the first poster or the teaser trailer, Luke is not going to be a mere cameo character this time around. Instead, he’ll be featured prominently alongside new franchise lead Rey (Daisy Ridley).

Ever since he turned around in The Force Awakens, fans have been wondering to what level Hamill would be able to return to. Both Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford made seamless transitions back into their Star Wars roles in 2015, and it is expected for Hamill to be able to pull that off this year as well. However, he may not only pull it off, but may deliver his best performance.

Hamill was honored today at D23 as a Disney Legend and as part of the ceremony, Disney CEO Iger talked about the level of performance he delivers in The Last Jedi. As shared on Twitter by Yahoo‘s Marcus Errico, Iger is giving it his all to hype up the movie and Luke’s return even more.

While this certainly could be the case come December, this is also another case of the studio CEO doing his job and selling the film. Even though The Last Jedi and the Star Wars name are going to sell this film regardless of what is said about it, having people involved with a film praise it is nothing new. That said, J.J. Abrams has previously said he believes Hamill should win an Oscar for his performance in Episode VIII, so maybe this isn’t hyperbole. Hamill has delivered great performances in the original trilogy, but could rise to new heights now as a veteran actor and with a bigger, deeper role.

Hamill has attempted to downplay his importance in The Last Jedi before, but it is clear he’ll have a big role to play. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said he is “significantly important” to this movie, despite it possibly not being “his” movie. If his mysterious statements from the trailer are true and he wants to put an end to the Jedi, how he goes about doing this and what led him to make this decision are sure to be fascinating discoveries to make. If the story demands a large role for Hamill and if director Rian Johnson can push his acting to be the best it can, then maybe the results will be his best performance. We only have Iger’s word to base this on now, but thankfully everyone will be able to determine that for themselves in just five months.