The 90s Star Wars Character Lucasfilm Wants To Keep Frozen in Carbonite - IGN Daily Fix

Lucasfilm is reportedly preventing the return of Mara Jade, a popular Star Wars character, to modern canon. Authors Claudia Gray and Timothy Zahn, the character's creator, have confirmed their attempts to reintroduce Mara Jade in new books have been consistently blocked by Lucasfilm. Zahn previously mentioned at Dragon Con 2024 that his requests to write a book featuring her were met with responses ranging from "no" to "heck no." When Disney acquired Star Wars in 2012, much of the existing lore from the Expanded Universe was reclassified as "Legends." However, Lucasfilm has since selectively brought elements back into canon, such as Grand Admiral Thrawn, another Zahn creation, who became a main villain in "Star Wars Rebels" and "Ahsoka." Mara Jade, a former Emperor's assassin who marries Luke Skywalker and becomes a Jedi Master, complete with a purple lightsaber, seems like a strong candidate for similar treatment. Despite this, the firm rejections to both Gray and Zahn suggest Lucasfilm may be hesitant to alter the character to fit into new story decisions made post-Disney acquisition. Some fans support keeping Mara Jade in the Legends continuity, arguing that bringing her into canon would significantly change her character, making her essentially a new creation. They believe Disney should focus on developing original characters. For those seeking Mara Jade content, the video suggests "Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi," a 90s fighting game where she is an unlockable character. Interestingly, "Teräs Käsi," the martial art from the game, has been brought back into canon through a mention by Qi'ra in "Solo: A Star Wars Story." Karl Urban, set to play Johnny Cage in "Mortal Kombat 2," has expressed interest in another video game adaptation: "Red Dead Redemption." In an interview with Square Mile, Urban stated that "Red Dead Redemption" is one of his favorite games, despite having limited time for gaming due to his busy career. He specifically named John Marston, the protagonist of the 2010 game and a secondary protagonist in "Red Dead Redemption 2," as the character he would love to play. Despite Urban's enthusiasm, Rockstar Games has shown little interest in adapting their IPs into films. The late Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser commented in 2024 that a "GTA" movie, in particular, seemed risky. He explained that the economics and risks never made sense for their multi-billion dollar IP, as they would have little control over the final product and bear significant financial risk. Houser also noted the historical perception of games making poor quality movies. While Urban previously starred in the 2005 "Doom" movie, which is not widely remembered fondly outside of its first-person shooter sequence, video game adaptations have improved significantly since then. The hope remains that if "Mortal Kombat 2" is successful, Rockstar might reconsider a "Red Dead" film with Urban as Marston or Arthur Morgan. The presenter also strongly recommends watching the film "Dredd." Finally, Ralph Fiennes, known for his portrayal of Lord Voldemort, was asked for the "10,000th time" about casting for the HBO "Harry Potter" series. While he believes his time to reprise the role has passed, he offered a "pretty good choice" on The Claudia Winkleman Show: Tilda Swinton. Fiennes believes Swinton "would be amazing" and "fantastic." The presenter agrees, highlighting Swinton's versatility, having played the villainous White Queen in the "Narnia" movies, gender-adapted characters like the Ancient One in "Doctor Strange" and Gabriel in "Constantine," and even an 82-year-old doctor in the "Suspiria" remake. Swinton joins Paul Bettany and Cillian Murphy as popular fan picks for the role, though Murphy has "categorically" removed himself from consideration. Fiennes has now supported both Murphy and Swinton. The presenter urges an end to questions about Voldemort's casting, suggesting other topics to discuss with Fiennes, such as his experience shooting "In Bruges" and Colin Farrell. The new "Harry Potter" HBO series is expected to make casting announcements soon, with the series premiering this Christmas. The broadcast concluded with a promotion for the Humble April Choice bundle, which includes games like "Assassin's Creed Valhalla" and "Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria," supporting Reverb, a nonprofit dedicated to environmental change through music. The presenter also recommended an interview with Sam Witwer, who voices Star Wars Maul, about his preferred 90s Star Wars character for canon reintegration.