Mark Hamill's Villain Role In 'The Long Walk' Film

Fans of the Star Wars series were left in shock when a recent video made rounds showed one of the franchise’s favorites looking totally unrecognizable from his time on the highly successful media franchise.

Known for his portrayal of the idealistic Jedi who helped destroy the Galactic Empire, Mark Hamill, the legendary actor behind the adored hero Luke Skywalker, looked somewhat different in the clip that has now gone viral. He sported a terrifying look, leaving many fans speculating whether he had finally embraced the dark side for his next film, The Long Walk.

Mark Hamill looks quite different in a new trailer for ‘The Long Walk’

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In the new trailer for the upcoming film, The Long Walk, an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1979 novel, Hamill takes up the character of The Major, a ruthless commander, presiding over a deadly marching competition between 100 teenage boys. Rocking an aviator glass, the 73-year-old is shown commanding attention while demanding that the participants continue to march on until only a survivor is left. His scary presence is further highlighted when he fires a gun into the air, taunting the boys with the question, “Who’s ready to win?”

During Lionsgate’s CinemaCon presentation, the actor spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about his switch of character. Hamill explained that he took on the character of The Major because even though heroes are most often admired by the audience, playing an antagonist helps to leave a lasting impression. He also noted that being able to get the hatred of the audience with his character is a pointer to his versatility as an actor.

mark Hamill the long walk — Mark Hamill/Imagecollect

Fans react to Mark Hamill’s transformation in new trailer

Hamill’s dramatic physical and character transformation in his new role in The Long Walk has sparked widespread discussion among fans, many of whom have taken to social media to voice their surprise and disapproval.

While some viewers claimed they could barely recognize the actor, with one confusing him for an older Matt Damon, others struggled to reconcile the actor’s new look with the youthful Luke Skywalker they remember from the Star Wars franchise. A fan quipped in a clever twist on a famous Star Wars line, suggesting that the actor had strayed far from his heroic roots.