Mark Hamill is one of the most popular actors of this generation, known for portraying the role of Luke Skywalker in the evergreen Star Wars franchise. Following his massive success and popularity in the first three Star Wars films, he transitioned to voice work, contributing to significant projects like Castle In The Sky, A Fuller Life, and Batman: Mask of The Phantasm.
Interestingly enough, a DC star demanded he be in a Justice League Unlimited reunion project as well, which would have been a great thing considering he portrayed the role of The Joker for so many years.
A DC Star Really Wanted Mark Hamill In A Justice League Unlimited Reunion Project
While Warner Bros. Studios struggled to assemble the legendary heroes of DC Comics on the big screen for decades, their animation studio achieved this feat back in 2001 on Cartoon Network with Justice League. Building on the success of iconic shows like Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, and Batman Beyond, Bruce Timm and his collaborators, including writer/producer Rich Fogel and voice director Andrea Romano, created a superhero universe teeming with great characters and boundless possibilities.
For several years, Justice League and its successor, Justice League Unlimited, served as a perfect gateway into the broader DC Comics universe long before the Justice League movie.
While speaking to Comicsbeat in a 2017 interview, Wonder Woman voice actress Susan Eisenberg talked about her time working on Justice League and its successor, Justice League Unlimited. She was then asked which guest stars she would have liked to see in a reunion project. She named Mark Hamill, among others. She further added that no one could have ever said no to a reunion.
”Off the top of my head… Mr. Mark Hamill would top my list! Extraordinary! And the truth is that no one would say no to a reunion!”
Unfortunately, a Justice League Unlimited reunion project never came to fruition despite all the hype and fans were truly disappointed by this unexpected turn of events.
Mark Hamill Knew Why Avatar: The Last Airbender Was A Success
Avatar: The Last Airbender draws significant inspiration from Star Wars, particularly evident in season 2, Book Two: Earth, which mirrors the structure of The Empire Strikes Back. The casting of Mark Hamill as the series’ villain, Fire Lord Ozai, cleverly pays homage to this connection. Hamill, known for his portrayal of the hero in the previous generation, brings depth to the character of Ozai, despite his lack of moral ambiguity. Although Ozai may seem one-dimensional, Hamill’s vocal range adds nuances that enhance the role beyond what’s written on the page.
Mark Hamill’s portrayal of Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender begins in season 1, episode 12, titled The Storm, through a flashback where Ozai scars and exiles his son Prince Zuko for speaking out of turn. Hamill’s voice work continues with small appearances in the first two seasons, always keeping the Fire Lord in shadow, enhancing the sinister tone with his deep and stern voice, creating an almost demonic aura.
As Ozai is revealed in Book Three: Fire as just a man, Hamill’s performance becomes smoother but retains a sinister quality. In the finale, Sozin’s Comet, Hamill delivers a loud and bombastic performance, relishing Ozai’s evil during the final confrontation with Avatar Aang. Therefore, it is an indisputable fact that Mark Hamill’s performance elevated not only his character but the entire show.
While being asked questions on WIRED, Mark Hamill talked about his initial reaction to working on the show during a time when Nickelodeon did not have smart shows at all.
Avatar: The Last Airbender found unexpected success despite its initial concerns about fitting Nickelodeon’s brand. The show ran for the planned three seasons, concluding in 2008 and achieving critical acclaim. Mark Hamill acknowledged the series’ success, attributing it to the show’s intelligence and its ability to engage both children and parents.
“It was really gratifying to hear that parents like to watch it with their children, ‘cuz it talked up to children rather than talking down to them. And it was a very smart show.”
The show’s popularity led to a sequel, The Legend of Korra, along with animated films and the Netflix live-action remake, which has not been received well at all.
