Is Star Wars' Mara Jade Coming to the Films?

CBR

Is Star Wars Expanded Universe Character Mara Jade Coming to the Films?

By Renaldo Matadeen

Published Apr 21, 2018

J.J. Abrams' Episode IX could be bringing Luke Skywalker's wife from the Expanded Universe over into the movies despite the Jedi Master's death.

Luke Skywalker may be dead following Star Wars: The Last Jedi but rumors have it that his wife could be coming to the filmverse that George Lucas started back in the '70s. Well, at least the woman who was his wife in the 'Expanded Universe' stories.

According to this latest rumor, Disney is looking to cast a middle-aged woman going by the name of Mara, possibly suggesting the character could be Mara Jade.

That Hashtag Show reports that Abrams and casting director Nina Gold, who has worked on both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, are searching for a female lead, 40-50 years old, to play the role of someone named Mara. Of course, this could be a placeholder name for the character during the casting process, but it's still one that stokes the interest of fans.

In the 'Expanded Universe' books, which are non-canon, Mara was an assassin sent by Emperor Palpatine to kill Luke. However, she fell in love with him and they'd eventually get married, have a kid and also, start a new Jedi academy. Her coming into the movies would certainly be a long shot, and Abrams would also have to retcon her relationship with Luke as we've seen no signs of the Jedi having any romantic relationship whatsoever in the films.

Given that he died after fighting Kylo Ren, it's tough to see them forcing her into Luke's story at this point, especially after we saw him as a loner on Ahch-To, isolated from everyone in the galaxy, which would make it very hard for such a recluse to have had a relationship. Or if he did, well, it was really kept on the downlow, or maybe she's Rey's mother -- all conspiracy theories that will ensue if this casting turns out to somehow be true.

Available now digitally and on Blu-ray and DVD, writer/director Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi stars Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke, Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata, Benicio Del Toro as ‘DJ’, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Laura Dern as Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo, and the late Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa.