5 Actors Who Should Play JEDI In The New Star Wars Movies

Whip out your lightsabers and fire up your X-Wings, we’re less than a year from returning to a galaxy far, far away. To celebrate this, and to take a break from writing about superheroes (not that I mind), I present to you my personal “casting call” of actors I’d like to see don the familiar brown robes in the newest Star Wars Trilogy. Now remember, these are just people I’d personally like to see portray Jedi based on either their acting ability or previous roles. So without further ado, I present you with 5 Actors Who Should Play Jedi in the New Star Wars Trilogy.

1. Ian McKellan

The 75 year old award-winning thespian is best known for his roles as the halfling herb-enthusiast wizard Gandalf and the racist mutant Magneto. Based on those 2 roles alone, Mr. McKellen is an ideal candidate to play a Jedi in the upcoming Star Wars movies. Yet the British born actor would bring so much more to the table. He would inject a degree of prestige not seen in a Star Wars film since the days of Sir Alec Guinness. Whether he played an aging human or was buried under mounds of make-up as some alien or another, Sir Ian would be an uncanny Jedi Master.

2. Zoe Saldana

The 36 year old New Jersey native is no stranger to geek culture roles. Best known for her motion-capture portrayal of Neytiri is 2009’s Avatar; she’s also been a pirate (Pirates of the Caribbean), an assassin (Colombiana), and a spaceship navigator (Star Trek). She’s even familiar with comic book roles, in both 2010’s The Losers and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy. Zoe could easily fill the shoes of the fan favorite Aalya Secura, especially since she works so well in outlandish costumes. If you don’t want to see this woman slicing up some Sith with a lightsaber, then you need to renew your “nerd card.”

3. James McAvoy

This 35 year old Scottish actor is also no novice when it comes to geeky/sci-fi roles. From his impressive portrayal of a young Professor X in the last 2 X-Men movies, to critically acclaimed appearances in 2008’s Wanted and 2005’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He was even a regular in the television series Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune. He definitely has the necessary “chops” to strap on a lightsaber and toss out some Jedi mind tricks (hell, he’s even had practice). Aside from Mark Hamill, I personally can’t think of anyone more qualified to “use the Force” than Mr. McAvoy.

4. George Takei

Last year, for an April Fool’s joke, the 77 year old L.A. native told the world that he would be portraying a Jedi in the new Star Wars movies. Yet, after everyone was done LOL’ing at George’s great sense of humor, I actually started thinking about it. For the man who is best known as Commander Sulu in Star Trek: The Original Series to appear in a Star Wars movie would be the ultimate way of dousing the flames on the decades-old rivalry between fans of the 2 franchises (except of course if they got Leonard Nimoy or Patrick Stewart). He’s already voiced the character Lok Durd in the hit animated show Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Though Mr. Takei has been mostly relegated to comedy roles in the past decade or so, he is a serious actor and could pull off the humorously-old-yet-incredibly-wise Jedi Master in the vein of Yoda.

5. Idris Elba

The 41 year old Brit has appeared in several geekworthy films, including: Thor & Thor: The Dark World (as Heimdall), Pacific Rim (as Stacker Pentecost), Prometheus (as Janek), and alongside fellow listee Zoe Saldana as Roque in The Losers. Widely considered to be one of the premiere actors of our generation, Elba is at home in just about any role. Whether he’s an all-seeing Asgardian or a tough-as-nails starship captain, he brings the credibility of a classically trained actor to any movie he stars in (though even his immense talent couldn’t save the train wreck that was Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance). With his deep voice and manly physique, Idris would make a great Zabrak (the spiky-headed alien race of whom Darth Maul is a member) or one of the countless other exotic races that inhabit the “Lucas-Verse.” Just give this man a lightsaber and some cool contacts and you’ll have a Jedi that could surpass the badassery of Mace Windu.

Well there’s my list folks, I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to leave me some feedback (good or bad) and let me know how you think I’m doing. Be sure to give me a like on Facebook if you’re so inclined. I will be posting a sequel to this article listing 5 actors/actresses who would make great Sith lords in the very near future, so be on the look out. And as always thank you for taking the time to read my article and May the Dork Side Be With You.