Followers of Mark Hamill had been left doing double takes after the discharge of the primary trailer for “The Lengthy Stroll,” the place they inexplicably claimed beloved “Star Wars” icon seems just about unrecognizable at age 73.
The actor, endlessly etched in popular culture historical past because the fresh-faced Luke Skywalker, has undergone a dramatic transformation for his position within the upcoming Stephen King adaptation, sparking widespread reactions throughout social media platforms.
Within the newly launched trailer, Hamill stars in a film the place he oversees a lethal contest the place 100 teenage boys embark on a harrowing journey that ends with only one survivor.
His look on this darkish, dystopian thriller directed by Francis Lawrence marks a stark departure from the heroic Jedi Grasp character that launched him to worldwide fame practically 5 a long time in the past.
He’s really fairly unrecognizable, and followers chimed in after watching the trailer on YouTube.
“Is that mark hammil. That man whose pants fell down on the awards ceremony stay on stage?” questioned one bewildered fan.
One other viewer noticed that “Mark Hamill seems like an older Matt Damon.”
Enjoying with the “Star Wars” connection, some followers couldn’t resist making references to his iconic character, with one joking, “‘Luke! You had been the chosen one! You had been purported to destroy the sith, not be a part of them!’”
One other merely acknowledged, “So, Luke joins The Darkish Facet,” because the trailer reveals Hamill main a squad that even shoots a boy for collapsing from exhaustion throughout this “lengthy stroll.”
The placing transformation, bodily and as a personality arc, has change into a central speaking level in regards to the movie, with Letterboxd followers expressing pleasure in regards to the movie.
“I’m going to vomit [complimentary]. This seems so upsetting in one of the best ways. I really like this e-book,” wrote an enthusiastic fan, as others drew comparisons to in style dystopian franchises like “The Squid Video games” and “The Starvation Video games.”
The trailer dropped days after the actor burned President Donald Trump for posting one thing for Star Wars Day, Could 4.
Hamill posted on social media, “Proof this man is stuffed with sith.”
昨日のトランプの投稿、マーク・ハミルのblueskyのアカウントで突っ込まれてるのね https://t.co/oPWvM2Swqt（Proof this man is stuffed with SITH = この男がシスで満ちている証拠） pic.twitter.com/p017W8H24q
— あれ (@stereomagic) Could 6, 2025
Hamill himself addressed his villain position throughout Lionsgate’s CinemaCon presentation final month, the place he debuted the primary footage alongside co-star David Jonsson and the movie’s director.
“In the event you can’t be the hero, there’s nothing higher than being the villain. In the event you get booed and folks hate your guts, then you definately’ve carried out your job,” Hamill advised the viewers, in accordance with The Hollywood Reporter.
The movie adaptation of King’s 1979 novel (initially printed beneath King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman) encompasses a highly effective ensemble solid together with Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, and Judy Greer.
Lawrence, identified for steering “The Starvation Video games” franchise, described himself as a longtime fan of the supply materials, drawn to its memorable premise.
This position represents only one milestone in what followers have noticed as Hamill’s profession resurgence.
As one social media commenter famous, “Mark Hamills having a film profession resurrection. Hes in a whole lot of films as of late.”
Between 2015 and 2025, Hamill returned to his iconic Luke Skywalker position within the Star Wars sequel trilogy whereas additionally increasing his repertoire with various tasks like voicing Chucky within the “Baby’s Play” reboot and showing within the indie dramedy “Brigsby Bear.”
His latest work consists of the comedy-action movie “The Machine” (2023), a task in Mike Flanagan’s horror anthology “The Fall of the Home of Usher” (2023), and upcoming appearances in one other Stephen King adaptation, “The Lifetime of Chuck,” set for launch in June 2025. Hamill can be lending his voice to animated tasks like “The SpongeBob Film: Seek for SquarePants” and the faith-based movie “The King of Kings.”
As “The Lengthy Stroll” prepares for its theatrical launch on Sept. 12, audiences are anticipating Hamill’s portrayal of this complicated villain, demonstrating as soon as once more the actor’s outstanding versatility a long time after first wielding a lightsaber in a galaxy far, far-off. The transformation that originally shocked followers serves as a testomony to Hamill’s enduring dedication to his craft and his willingness to repeatedly reinvent himself as an actor.
