"I had my time": Mark Hamill on why his Star Wars days are over

During a recent interview about Star Wars, veteran actor Mark Hamill explained why he won’t be returning to the franchise. He is best known for playing the iconic role of Luke Skywalker. While speaking to ComicBook, the actor stated:

"But my deal is, I had my time. I’m appreciative of that. But I really think they should focus on the future and all the new characters."

Hamill first appeared in Star Wars (1977), marking the beginning of a legendary sci-fi journey. His final on-screen appearance in the saga came in The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

Let’s find out more about what Mark Hamill said regarding not returning to the franchise.

"I left my robes behind": Mark Hamill on not returning to Star Wars

In a conversation with Comicbook, Mark Hamill discussed not coming back to the franchise as Luke Skywalker. He shared:

“I am so grateful to [creator George Lucas] for letting me be a part of that back in the day, the humble days when George called Star Wars ‘the most expensive low-budget movie ever made...We never expected it to become a permanent franchise and a part of pop culture like that.

Hamill then added a funny, light-hearted remark about how his character vanished in the 2017 film The Last Jedi:

“And by the way, when I disappeared in [The Last Jedi], I left my robes behind. And there’s no way I’m gonna appear as a naked Force ghost.”

Mark Hamill has portrayed Luke Skywalker across six films and three television appearances. Here’s the list of all his appearances in the role:

Star Wars (1977)
Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Return of the Jedi (1983)
The Force Awakens (2015)
The Last Jedi (2017)
The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
The Mandalorian (2020)
The Book of Boba Fett (2022)

Son of Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker, uke Skywalker was raised on the planet Tatooine. As he matures, he rises to oppose Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire, ultimately becoming a Jedi Knight. He also mentors Ben Solo, who later becomes the primary antagonist Kylo Ren.

Luke Skywalker dies in The Last Jedi after exerting an immense amount of Force energy. His final words to Kylo Ren were:

"Strike me down in anger and I'll always be with you. Just like your father."

With Luke Skywalker’s story already concluded, Hamill’s decision not to return to the franchise feels appropriate.

Beyond his iconic role in Star Wars, Hamill has appeared in several other films, including Corvette Summer (1978), The Guyver (1991), Hamilton (1998), Walking Across Egypt (1999), Airborne (2012), The Machine (2023), and many more.

His most recent release is Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck, co-starring Tom Hiddleston and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The film was released on June 6, 2025.