Luke Skywalker to helm movie of own comic, Black Pearl
'Culmination of years of wish fulfillment on my part'
Mark Hamill will make his first foray into big screen directing by taking the helm for a film adaptation of his own comic book Black Pearl, AP reports.
Hamill, 58, was at Cannes to promote the project with Black Pearl co-author Eric Johnson, who helped create Luther Drake - an "ordinary man who saves a woman from abduction then finds himself at the center of a media frenzy as he steps into the role of costumed crusader for justice".
Originally a film script, Black Pearl was picked up by Dark Horse Comics which asked the pair to adapt it into a graphic novel.
Hamill said of the challenge of bringing his creation to cinema audiences: "It's kind of daunting. The pendulum swings from great confidence to what did I get myself into? But I want to. This is going to be really a culmination of years and years of wish fulfillment on my part."
Inevitably, the actor-turned-director was asked about his role as Luke Skywalker, something which propelled him to stardom but then effectively kyboshed his acting career. He said: "What happened to me, happened to me. I remember reading about the Beatles. They asked George Harrison, 'what was it like to be in the Beatles?' He went, 'What was it like not to be in the Beatles?'
"It happened so quickly, I don't think I had a chance to sort of develop a sense of entitlement, like, I should now be an A-list action star. I wasn't really that interested. I was kind of taking it as it comes."
Black Pearl will be produced by industry newbie Berkeley Square Films, in which Hamill has a stake. No one has as yet been cast for the lead, and Hamill said he wasn't tempted to appear on screen himself. He concluded: "That would be distracting to me. I don't want people to go, 'Oh, look, there's the gratuitous cameo thing by the egomaniac.'" ®
COMMENTS
Stop the Mark Hamill crucifixion!!
For all those wishing he had "real" acting skills when he did Star Wars - remember, NO ONE had any real idea how big a hit Star Wars would be. I mean, Lucas wasn't a true heavyweight director, the story was vapid, and most of the budget went for SFX. So Lucas used who he could _afford_. He took risks on unproven talent, got hugely lucky with Harrison Ford (remember his role in Apocalypse Now? Thought not...),a little less lucky with Hamill. But overall - really an impressive bit of casting, and Hamill made the role his own - there was something very unsophisticated about him, very boyish, that was really believable in the role, especially in the first film.
And remember, in Lucas's world, the SFX were supposed to be the stars...
Hardly fair on Hamill
Mark Hamill has been doing voice acting for years, and some rather excellent voice acting, if I may say. One of his best was as the Joker in Batman, the animated series. As well as that, he's done some acting on Broadway, which was generally well received.
'Oh, look, there's the gratuitous cameo thing by the egomaniac.' !!
You mean he thinks he isn't ?
Cocknocker!
Hamil might best remembered as Cocknocker, the Bluntman and Chronic arch enemy.... of course that choice role would not have been there but for Luke ;-)
The Guyver
I happen to have really liked that one - all the inside jokes, cheesy (yet kinda good for the day) monsters, and Dr. Eastman (West)... hehehe.
It was designed as a B-Movie with a budget, and pulled it off well. Hamill was a supporting actor as a seedy (good guy) detective that becomes a cockroach. I don't think the irony was lost on him.
