Hiroyuki Sanada Wants In on Star Wars and The Ronin Is Ready
The Ronin was introduced in Star Wars: Visions season one.
Hiroyuki Sanada is one of his generation's best actors. The Japanese star began working in the industry as a child, and over the decades, Sanada has become a global talent. From The Last Samurai to Bullet Train and Westworld, Sanada has an impressive filmography that recently expanded with Shogun. And now, it seems like the actor is ready to take a bite out of Star Wars.
Recently, Variety spoke with Sanada during a press event for Disney+ in Los Angeles. It was there the actor touched upon their love of Star Wars, and Sanada said he would love to join the universe.
"I'm a big fan, the world itself is amazing," he shared. Of course, this confession has left fans pleading for more. Sanada has proven his skill on screen, and given his top-tier martial arts work, netizens are rallying for Star Wars to bring The Ronin to life.
If you are not familiar with The Ronin, don't feel too left out. After all, The Ronin was introduced in September 2021 courtesy of Star Wars: Visions. The breathtaking animated series pulled together some of Japan's top studios to make shorts, and Kamikaze Douga didn't hold back with its entry. "The Duel" turned The Ronin into a fandom fave, and Sanada is the perfect person to bring the Sith slayer to life.
After all, The Ronin is a talented fighter, and their former alliance with the Sith spurred them to seek vengeance on the group. Once known as the Dark Lord of the Sith, The Ronin became disillusioned by the group amid the Sith rebellion, and they took up their new name after disavowing the Sith. Together with his droid B5-56, The Ronin repents for his time with the Sith by living in exile and only entering society to help extinguish the Sith. He does this scabbarded lightsabers resembling katanas, so The Ronin brings the samurai aesthetic to Star Wars.
Given Sanada's work, there is no doubt the actor could bring this fan-fave Star Wars character to life. With comics and novels to their name, The Ronin is quickly becoming one of the IP's modern legends. So if Disney wants to expand its reach with Star Wars, it will want to pitch The Ronin to Sanada ASAP.
What do you think about this Star Wars pitch? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!