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‘Star Wars’ Has Discussed a Mace Windu Spinoff

BBG News

Bryce Dallas Howard discussed with Lucasfilm’s Dave Filoni the possibility of creating a standalone Star Wars film centered around Mace Windu.

44-year-old actress and filmmaker collaborated with Filoni, aged 50, on the “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” and Howard hinted that she has discussed the possibility of reintroducing Samuel L. Jackson’s iconic Jedi character in a future project with Lucasfilm’s top creative officer.

I directly approached Dave Filoni and asked him point-blank, “Let’s discuss Mace Windu, shall we? Now, the question on everyone’s mind – is he alive or not?

In the past, the actor from “Jurassic World,” who is 76 years old named Jackson, has consistently shown great support towards her. Moreover, he expressed interest in collaborating with her on a movie she was directing.

She mentioned that Sam Jackson has shown great support for her, often expressing his willingness to star in a project she directs. However, it leaves her feeling somewhat humbled or unworthy because of it.

As a dedicated cinephile, I had the privilege to bring Mace Windu to life across George Lucas’ prequel trilogy, starting from “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” in 1999, all the way through to “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” in 2005. However, since that fateful confrontation with Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid), this Jedi Knight hasn’t been seen on the silver screen.

Nevertheless, the actor known for “Pulp Fiction” once maintained that Mace Windu was still alive within the Star Wars universe. He had even discussed potential involvement in a future space-themed project following their collaboration on the 2024 movie “Argylle”, where they worked together.

In an interview for the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Jackson mentioned that he believes Mace Windu is still alive somewhere. He pointed out a notable trend in “Star Wars” of characters with only one hand making a reappearance.

I’ve only expressed such sentiments regarding a return to someone once, and that was Bryce Dallas Howard. We recently worked together on a film, and she also directs episodes for “The Mandalorian.

I asked her if she could help me out since we get along well. She responded by saying she adores me and thinks I’m fantastic! So, I asked her to teach me how to wield a Lightsaber with my left hand.

25 Actors Who Turned Down Huge Movie Roles

Halle Berry – Speed’s Annie

In 2019, Halle Berry admitted she made a foolish decision by rejecting the role of Annie, the heroic bus driver in Speed. The part ultimately went to Sandra Bullock, who was relatively unknown at the time with limited roles. Afterward, Speed became a massive success and catapulted Bullock into stardom. Berry later explained that the script she read for Speed had the bus remaining in the parking lot, making it a less thrilling movie.

Emily Blunt – Black Widow

Emily Blunt, with her charm, knack for light-hearted humor, and background in action films, seems ideally suited for a role in Marvel productions. It’s somewhat surprising that she hasn’t been cast in a Marvel film thus far, but this is not due to a lack of chances. Her initial opportunity came with Iron Man 2, when she was presented the part of Black Widow. However, Blunt had to decline the offer as she was already bound by contractual obligations to work on Gulliver’s Travels at the same time. As Blunt shared with Howard Stern, this was a disappointing turn of events for her. Scarlett Johansson ultimately took on the role of Natasha Romanoff, appearing in eight Marvel movies so far.

Jessica Chastain – Maya Hansen

Following the success of “The Tree of Life” and “Zero Dark Thirty”, numerous studios, including Marvel, approached Jessica Chastain for roles. Among them was the part of Maya Hansen in “Iron Man 3”. Although intrigued, Chastain declined the offer, citing a busy schedule as the reason on her Facebook page. She also expressed disappointment that the media announced her casting before anything was finalized. However, she hinted at another Marvel film in her future. This eventually came to pass, albeit it was Fox’s “Dark Phoenix” where she portrayed Vuk. Rebecca Hall took on the role of Maya Hansen instead, delivering a commendable performance.

Russell Crowe – Wolverine

Prior to Hugh Jackman being cast, Russell Crowe was initially chosen for the role of Logan in Fox’s X-Men franchise. Crowe, who was a prominent star in Hollywood at the time, declined the part due to his recent work in Gladiator, where his character had a wolf emblem and companion. He felt this would overshadow his role too much, as he didn’t want to be associated with “wolfy” characteristics like “Mr. Wolf.” Instead, Crowe suggested Jackman for the part. Although Jackman didn’t initially get the role (it was first offered to Dougray Scott who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts with Mission: Impossible II), he eventually landed the part and it made him a household name. Later, Crowe joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder. To this day, Hugh Jackman remains Wolverine.

Matt Damon – Avatar’s Jake Sully

It’s likely no actor has turned down a role as costly as Matt Damon did when it comes to potential earnings. Director James Cameron approached him during the casting for Avatar, offering him the part of Jake Sully and a 10% share of the film’s profits, which was an additional incentive following his work in The Talented Mr. Ripley. However, Damon was occupied with the Jason Bourne series at that time, causing him to decline the role. This decision, he now admits, could have cost him around $250 million. That’s quite a substantial amount of unobtanium you could have bought with such a sum!

Benicio Del Toro – Darth Maul

Benicio Del Toro didn’t just take up the part of Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace; he agreed to it. However, as the role was developed prior to filming and George Lucas reduced more and more of his dialogue so that he could be a more menacing, silent figure with exceptional fighting abilities, Del Toro chose to walk away from the project. In the end, it was Ray Park who played the character to great praise.

Leonardo DiCaprio – Boogie Nights’ Dirk Diggler

Back in 2008, GQ questioned Leonardo DiCaprio about the roles he regretted passing on. One of those was the part of Dirk Diggler in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film “Boogie Nights,” a role that catapulted Mark Wahlberg to Hollywood stardom as a leading man. However, DiCaprio found himself facing a difficult decision between projects and opted instead for a smaller art-house film titled “Titanic” about a romantic journey at sea. Although he didn’t express regret over his choice, DiCaprio acknowledged that both roles were exceptional, wishing he could have been part of both productions.

Harrison Ford – Jurassic Park’s Alan Grant

If you’ve noticed a resemblance between Alan Grant from “Jurassic Park” (portrayed by Sam Neill) and Indiana Jones due to his rough work attire, then you were correct. Initially, Steven Spielberg considered Harrison Ford, the original Indiana Jones, for the part of the courageous paleontologist. However, Ford declined the role after reading the script. Instead, Neill joined the project only a few weeks before filming started, and he landed one of the defining roles in his acting career.

Jon Hamm – Green Lantern

In the realm of acting, no performer has ever embodied the visual likeness of Green Lantern’s Hal Jordan from the comics quite like Jon Hamm from Mad Men. Thus, it’s not surprising that Warner Bros. sought Hamm for the role, but he declined their offer. As Hamm stated in an interview later on, “They pursued me quite intensely,” but he felt uninterested, responding with a casual “Meh, that’s not what I’m aiming for.” It seems Hamm isn’t particularly fond of superhero movies, stating that they aren’t the type of films he enjoys watching. However, he doesn’t seem to have the same sentiment towards superhero shows on television; in fact, Hamm has lent his voice to several comic-book series, including Invincible and M.O.D.O.K., where he played Tony Stark in multiple episodes.

Josh Hartnett – Superman AND Batman

One notable actor who nearly took on the Superman role in “Superman Returns” was Josh Hartnett, a rising star in Hollywood during the early 2000s. At a certain point, Hartnett was given a three-film deal worth an estimated $100 million to portray Superman, but he declined the offer. Remarkably, Hartnett had also passed up the chance to play both members of the World’s Finest team, as he was considered for the role of young Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins.” Years after turning down Nolan, Hartnett admitted this decision was a mistake. In an interview with Playboy, Hartnett stated, “I’ve definitely said no to some of the wrong people. I turned them down because I was tired and wanted to spend more time with my friends and family. That’s not always well-received in this industry.

Jim Henson – Yoda

When George Lucas decided that a puppet would be the best choice to depict the wise Jedi master Yoda, he first considered Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets and Kermit the Frog’s puppeteer, for the job. However, Henson was engrossed in his own projects at the moment and recommended that Lucas collaborate with Frank Oz, a longtime partner of Henson’s on the Muppets and the performer of Fozzy, Miss Piggy, and Animal. Following Henson’s advice, Lucas made the decision, and the rest, as they say, is history. (Or, in this case, the story continues from there.)

Hugh Jackman – James Bond

The hunt for the actor to portray the young James Bond in the prequel ‘Casino Royale’ explored numerous options before settling on Daniel Craig, who became one of the most remarkable 007s ever. Prior to Craig landing the role, producers initially offered it to Hugh Jackman, who was still relatively new as Wolverine in the X-Men series. Jackman declined, presumably due to his concern about juggling another franchise and missing opportunities for smaller projects. However, if you’re interested, Amazon is currently casting a new James Bond – perhaps you should give them a call and see if they’re still considering you.

Heath Ledger – Batman

It’s well-known that Heath Ledger eventually portrayed the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, receiving widespread praise. However, before Nolan cast Ledger as his Joker, he initially wanted him for the role of Batman – offering him the part as the young Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins. Later, Nolan reminisced about their meeting, stating that Ledger was “very polite” about it but informed the director he would never participate in a superhero film. Once Ledger witnessed Nolan’s unique take on Batman Begins and its departure from the more campy DC films of that era, he agreed to be part of The Dark Knight.

Madonna – Catwoman

In the early 1990s, when Tim Burton was preparing to cast Batman Returns, Madonna’s film career was at its height. He proposed that Madonna take on the role of Catwoman, a match that seemed almost too ideal. However, Madonna declined the offer. Many years later, she expressed regret about turning down the Catwoman role, stating it would have been “pretty fierce.” Eventually, Michelle Pfeiffer landed the part and undeniably lived up to the description of being fierce.

Matthew McConaughey – Ego

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Marvel was seeking a well-known actor who could convincingly father Chris Pratt’s character, Star-Lord. Given their choice, they considered Matthew McConaughey, despite the minor age difference between them. However, when dealing with immortal space gods, age doesn’t really matter. McConaughey declined the role, explaining that he had to make a decision between Guardians and The Dark Tower, ultimately choosing the latter. He felt that the filmmakers didn’t truly want him or have a clear vision for his character, Ego, but rather saw it as an opportunity to include another big-name actor following the success of Guardians. (Apparently, he made the wrong choice.)

Eddie Murphy – Who Framed Roger Rabbit’s Eddie Valiant

Currently, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” is recognized as a revolutionary fusion of live-action and animation. However, this wasn’t always the case. Picture yourself encountering such a concept for the first time: someone proposes making a film where animated characters convincingly intermingle with real actors throughout an entire 100-minute movie. It sounds risky, right? This was Eddie Murphy’s initial thought when he declined the opportunity to portray the main human character, Eddie Valiant. In his own words on “The Tonight Show,” he said, “Animation and humans? That sounds like nonsense to me!” The film eventually released, became a massive success, and Murphy acknowledged his error. “Every time I watch it,” he admitted to Jimmy Fallon, “I feel like an idiot.

Al Pacino – Han Solo

It’s tough to envision anyone other than Harrison Ford as Han Solo, even Alden Ehrenreich can attest to that. However, Ford wasn’t initially the top pick for the role. At one time, George Lucas considered Al Pacino, a well-known star from The Godfather, to play the charismatic smuggler. Pacino declined the offer because he found the script confusing. Can you imagine how different Hollywood would be if Pacino had accepted and Ford hadn’t taken on the role?

Joaquin Phoenix – Doctor Strange

The quest for Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme was a prolonged process, with contenders like Ethan Hawke, Oscar Isaac, and Keanu Reeves being considered at different stages. Joaquin Phoenix came the closest to securing the role, as he allegedly entered negotiations in June of 2014 to portray Doctor Strange under director Scott Derrickson’s guidance. However, by October, the agreement fell through, and eventually, Benedict Cumberbatch emerged as Marvel’s magical champion. Phoenix later commented, “It seems everyone was content with the outcome. All parties were pleased.” Interestingly enough, Phoenix subsequently took on the role of Joker for Warner Bros and won an Oscar for his performance. Despite this, all parties appeared to be satisfied (at least until the Joker sequel).

Julia Roberts – Sleepless in Seattle’s Annie

The classic movie “Sleepless in Seattle,” starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, is instantly recognizable, even for those who haven’t watched it. It’s all about the long-distance love story between these two characters. However, the scenario might have been quite diverse if Julia Roberts, a romantic comedy actress adored by many more than Meg Ryan, had accepted the role of the female lead in this film. Years later, Roberts admitted that she was content with her decision, stating that she didn’t join the project because it seemed too reminiscent of her previous role in “Pretty Woman” a few years prior.

Kurt Russell – Luke Skywalker

Many promising actors tried out for the role of “Star Wars” in the 1970s, including Kurt Russell, who was a serious contender for the part of Luke Skywalker, the intergalactic farm boy. As the casting process lingered on, Russell faced other opportunities and eventually gave George Lucas an ultimatum: Either he would be cast or Russell would move on to another project. Unable to provide a firm answer, Lucas eventually lost out on Russell, who chose to take a western role instead. Over the years, one wonders how many thank-you gifts (perhaps fruit baskets) Mark Hamill may have sent Kurt Russell for missing out on the iconic role of Luke Skywalker.

Will Smith – Neo

Initially, the Wachowski siblings attempted to cast Will Smith as the cyberpunk icon Neo in The Matrix. After hearing their pitch, Smith opted for Wild Wild West over it, reasoning that the Wachowskis had only made one film at the time, which made him apprehensive about their abilities. However, he later acknowledged that they were indeed geniuses, though he felt there was a delicate balance between brilliance and what he encountered in the meeting.

John Travolta – Forrest Gump

When John Travolta agreed to star in “Pulp Fiction”, he declined another film, Robert Zemeckis’ “Forrest Gump”, which was set to be filmed at the same time. Both movies ended up being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, with “Gump” ultimately winning and Tom Hanks taking the lead role. However, Travolta’s career benefited significantly from playing Vincent Vega in “Pulp Fiction”, as it provided a boost. When asked later if he had any regrets about his decision, he said he did not. (If you could only be part of “Pulp Fiction” or “Forrest Gump”, which would you choose?)

Paul Walker – Superman

Due to his popularity from “The Fast and the Furious,” Paul Walker was a highly sought-after young actor when casting began for “Superman Returns.” He even had the chance to play the new Superman, but after discussing it with Richard Donner, who directed Christopher Reeve’s “Superman” and worked with Walker on “Timeline,” Walker decided against it. When asked if he should take the role, Donner advised him not to do it for the money, but only if he truly wanted to. Walker was concerned about being known solely as Superman, and Donner’s response essentially sealed the deal – this is why Paul Walker did not star in “Superman Returns.

Denzel Washington – Michael Clayton

In 2012, when asked about career regrets by GQ, Denzel Washington expressed that although Michael Clayton was the best material he had read in a while, he was apprehensive about a first-time director. The part eventually went to George Clooney, who turned it into one of his iconic roles as a movie star. It didn’t take long for Washington to acknowledge his error, admitting to GQ, “I was wrong. It happens.

Bruce Willis – Ghost’s Sam

Bruce Willis initially doubted the success of the script for “Ghost”, a movie about a deceased man trying to reach his wife from the afterlife. However, he was mistaken as the film ended up being the highest-grossing picture of 1990 and later the most-rented VHS tape in 1991. When reflecting on his decision to turn down the role of the central ghost, Willis labeled himself a “knucklehead”. Learning from this experience, he didn’t pass up the opportunity to star in “The Sixth Sense” again.

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2025-04-24 16:56

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