Hayden Christensen’s Force Ghost Anakin ‘Was Never In the Cards’ For ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’

ILM visual effects supervisor Roger Guyett suggests that a cameo by Hayden Christensen as a force ghost “was never in the cards” for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Before Star Wars: The Rise of Skwalker, many fans were hopping and speculating that Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker would return in the film as a force ghost. Speculation grew even more rampant when Hayden Christensen canceled a convention appearance earlier this year.  The theory was never a stretch considering Hayden Christensen now appears as a force ghost in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

While there are a couple of force ghosts in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Hayden Christensen wasn’t one of them. However, Hayden Christensen’s voice was present alongside other past Jedi at the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Despite, rumors and fan hopes, ILM visual effects supervisor Roger Guyett revealed in an interview with Yahoo! that a Hayden Christensen cameo wasn’t cut or even planned:

“Guyett also suggests that an on-screen cameo by Anakin Skywalker’s Force Ghost was never in the cards. Instead, audiences hear Hayden Christensen’s voice — along with the voices of other fallen Jedi — in the final battle between Rey and Palpatine, which was enough for Guyett.”

Roger Guyett also dispelled rumors of another force ghost being cut from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywaker:

“According to Guyett, they VFX team never created a Force Ghost version of the former Kylo Ren that would have appeared alongside Luke and Leia in that scene.”

Do you think Hayden Christensen should’ve appeared on screen as a force ghost in the film? Comment below!

Here is the official synopsis for Mark Hamill’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker:

Lucasfilm and director J. J. Abrams join forces once again to take viewers on an epic journey to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the riveting conclusion of the seminal Skywalker saga, where new legends will be born and the final battle for freedom is yet to come.

Directed by J. J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Ian McDiarmid, and Billy Dee Williams. Carrie Fisher will appear as General Leia Organa through the use of previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is now in theaters!

Source: Yahoo!