‘Star Wars’ actor Mark Hamill has spoken out about a fan theory that suggests Luke Skywalker will be the villain in the upcoming Episode VIII.
Fans of the franchise speculated that a dark turn for his character could be ahead, following the release of the official poster for ‘The Last Jedi’ earlier this month.
Speculation began thanks to Luke’s placement on the image, which sees him larger at the back, behind the likes of General Leia, Finn, Kylo Ren, Rey and Poe Dameron.
Fans noted that in previous posters, this has been the spot occupied by the villains of each film.
Mark took to Twitter to address the theory, noting: “NEWS FLASH for all you “Villains Looming at the Back of Posters” theorists: Luke was ALWAYS the villain! (from a certain point of view).”
He then supported this claim by including an image which explained how Luke could be seen as a terrorist.
“The story of an orphaned boy who becomes radicalised after a military strike kills his family. He is indoctrinated into an ancient religion, joins a band of rebel insurgents, and carries out a terrorist attack, killing 300,000 people,” it read.
‘The Last Jedi’ marks Hamill’s full return to the ‘Star Wars’ universe, having only had a cameo role in the closing minutes of 2015′s ‘The Force Awakens’.
A new trailer suggests it may actually be Rey (Daisy Ridley) who turns to the dark side in the next instalment, after she begins to learn about her powers, having gone in search of Luke on the remote island of Ahch-To.
Chillingly, the end of the trailer sees her seemingly reaching out to Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) to learn more about the Force, as she contemplates the role she plays in the on-going battle between the Resistance and the First Order.
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ is slated for release in the UK on 14 December. Watch a trailer for the film below...