7 Star Wars Characters That Should Be Recast for TV Shows

Since the launch of Disney+ in 2019, the Star Wars franchise has expanded its reach to live-action television, bringing in characters from the movies and animated projects, as well as introducing new faces to its vast universe. Star Wars: Andor Season 2 made a very interesting change for the franchise though by replacing Jimmy Smits with Benjamin Bratt in the role of Bail Organa. This prompts the question of whether more characters from Star Wars films should be recast for live-action TV shows. Deceased actors and scheduling difficulties are just a couple reasons for Star Wars’ inability to integrate renowned characters into projects, and as a result, Lucasfilm has decisions on its hands. On numerous occasions in the past, the studio opted for CGI recreations of performers no longer available, eliciting much debate. While it would be too early to recast roles from the sequel trilogy, the original and prequel sets of films could reasonably see some changeover if certain roles are adapted to TV.

The following seven Star Wars movie characters would benefit from a recast should Lucasfilm incorporate them in a live-action TV show.

1) Mace Windu

Samuel L. Jackson hasn’t portrayed Mace Windu on screen since 2005’s Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Even 20 years later, it’s possible that the icon could once again grace the big screen as Windu — given his voice cameo in 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker — but a TV show appearance will be harder to achieve. If Star Wars has plans to feature Windu in an upcoming TV series, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to recast him (assuming it called for a younger Mace Windu). Although following in Jackson’s footsteps appears a daunting task, a younger actor could play a rendition of Windu before he became the renowned purple lightsaber-wielding Jedi Master.

2) Grand Moff Tarkin

Given Peter Cushing’s death almost two decades after playing Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin in 1977’s Star Wars: A New Hope, one would think a recast of the character was inevitable. However, 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story instead employed a CGI recreation of Cushing to serve as Tarkin. Visually unsettling, Rogue One‘s digitally-rendered Tarkin should have been rejected in favor of recasting Cushing’s villain. The recast of Bail Organa in Andor hopefully indicates that Star Wars will move away from this practice and that the franchise will grant actors the chance to portray well-known characters. Andor‘s conclusion could mean that the opportunity for another Tarkin appearance has passed, but if the need for his presence arises in a future Star Wars TV show, a recast needs to happen.

3) Darth Maul

Darth Maul’s first and only live-action appearance came in 1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and fans have long expressed their desire to see the Sith Lord return. Portrayed by Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz in the film, Darth Maul might be better suited for TV than movies in his potential live-action comeback. It’s unknown whether the aforementioned actors would reprise the role of Darth Maul in a live-action show, as Sam Witwer has already taken over the character’s voice in the 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story, and the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels. Thanks to the character’s unique facial appearance, there would be nothing wrong with recasting Darth Maul in a future Star Wars TV series. What matters most is that he comes back in some form.

[RELATED: Star Wars Is Wasting Darth Maul’s Potential in Live-Action (Here’s How They Can Fix It)]

4) Count Dooku

Christopher Lee’s Count Dooku proved a formidable Sith Lord in 2002’s Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, though the actor’s death means a recast could be in store in a future live-action project. Dooku didn’t get much screen time in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith before his death, and while The Clone Wars expanded his arc, the villain needs to reappear in live-action. Ideally, a future Clone Wars-era TV series would bring him back, and he would be played by a new actor instead of a CGI version of Lee. Many Star Wars fans want to see more of Dooku’s story in live-action, and the franchise shouldn’t shy away from replacing Lee’s rendition of the Sith Lord.

5) Jango Fett

Temuera Morrison’s revolving door of Star Wars roles began with Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones. Now more than 20 years later, Morrison has thrived as the aged Boba Fett in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. In regards to Jango, the bounty hunter’s lone live-action Star Wars appearance leaves a lot to be desired, making him an excellent choice to feature in any TV show taking place prior to Attack of the Clones. A younger actor could step into the role and establish Jango as a Mandalorian mercenary just as fierce as his reputation suggests.

6) Princess Leia

Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia was exclusively a movie character in Star Wars before Vivien Lyra Blair played a child version of the character in 2022’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series. To date, an original trilogy-era Princess Leia has not appeared in TV, though Andor‘s writing team almost decided to incorporate her in a cameo. Thus, an upcoming Star Wars TV show has the chance to cast a new actor in the role, rightfully taking the place of the digitally-rendered portrayal of Fisher’s Princess Leia used in Rogue One. Incorporating such an iconic Star Wars hero should not a decision Lucasfilm should take lightly, but if Princess Leia fits in a TV story, a recast has to be in order.

7) Luke Skywalker

The multiple CGI recreations of Mark Hamill’s original trilogy-era Luke Skywalker used in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett must cease, and another actor should be cast to play the esteemed Jedi Knight. One could argue that Star Wars TV has no room for a character such as Luke, but given the right circumstances, a small appearance could make sense. In that case, though, Hamill’s likeness should be retired. It must be stressed that CGI cannot take the place of human actors. Recasting a role usually doesn’t generate a one-to-one character comparison, but the nuance and sincerity different performers bring to the same character is always fascinating. Sebastian Stan has frequently come up as a popular fancast, but there are tons of actors who could flourish in the footsteps of Hamill.

Do you agree with these potential Star Wars character recasts? Let us know in the comments!