Summary
Freddie Prinze Jr., who played Kanan Jarrus inStar Wars Rebels, recently spoke about Kanan’s return inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerand the future of the character. Kanan Jarrus became beloved inStar Wars Rebels, but he’s appeared in a handful of otherStar Warsmovies and shows. Prinze Jr. voiced a younger version of the character inStar Wars: The Bad Batch, and he was also one of theJedi voice cameos inThe Rise of Skywalker. Kanan is often considered one ofthe strongest Jedi inStar Wars, but he might not be one of the most prominent.
Speaking exclusively toScreen Rant, Prinze Jr. said that he had to be convinced to reprise the role of Kanan forThe Rise of Skywalkerand explained how his opinion on the character may shape Kanan’s future in the franchise.
I feel like every time Kanan gets put out there, since the cartoon, it dilutes the character a little bit. I wasn’t even crazy about doing the voiceover in the last movie, and it took a couple of phone calls to convince me to do so. I didn’t think Kanan was that powerful to be a Force ghost that would communicate from the past.
So, no, my answer is no. I wouldn’t do Star Wars, and I wouldn’t want to play a different character. I don’t like that. I don’t like it when other actors do it either. I don’t want you playing two superheroes; play one. It’s weird otherwise, right? Not that you may’t do it if you’re capable of doing it. I just want to see you as this guy or that guy. I wouldn’t want to play a different one.
Prinze Jr. mentioned that he felt Kanan’s appearances outside ofRebels"dilute" the character, which explains why he wasn’t initially sold on providing his voice forThe Rise of Skywalker. Luckily, Prinze Jr. did eventually agree to appear in the culmination of the Skywalker saga, and his voice made Rey’s climactic moment even better. Unfortunately, his reluctance to be inThe Rise of Skywalkeralso means there’s very little chance Prinze Jr. will voice Kanan again in the future.
Who Is Kanan Jarrus? Jacen Syndulla’s Father & Jedi History Explained
Huyang mentions Jacen Syndulla’s father Kanan Jarrus, in Ahsoka episode 5, a Jedi Knight whose backstory may hint at his son’s future in the Force.
There’ll Be No More Freddie Prinze, Jr. In Star Wars
As Prinze Jr. indicated, there’s very little chance he’ll ever return toStar Wars, either as Kanan Jarrus or a new character. Unfortunately, that means Prinze Jr. also won’t be able to lend his voice talents to the franchise again.Kanan was one of the best and most emotionally compelling characters inRebels, and it was largely because of Prinze Jr.’s skill as a voice actor. It’s easy to imagine any number of characters Prinze Jr. could become in theStar Warsgalaxy, especially in an animated show, but he doesn’t seem inclined to play them.
Kanan Jarrus
A Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66 in large part thanks to his master’s sacrifice, Kanan survived during the Dark Times of the Empire’s reign and became an important member of the Lothal rebel cell. Kanan sacrificed much over the years, but gained much as well, falling in love with Hera Syndulla. Although he gave his life for his friends, he left a legacy behind in his own Padawan Ezra Bridger, as well as his son Jacen.
While it’s unfortunate that Prinze Jr. probably won’t be involved in the future ofStar Wars, his opinion on Kanan’s future is probably right. Kanan’s story was almost flawlessly executed inRebels, mainly because it had so much impact: every moment of his story said something about him and made the audience care for him, and his death was the ultimate climax of a very efficient story.Seeing Kanan even more in the future would risk cheapening his sacrifice and, as Prinze Jr. put it, diluting his impact.The Bad BatchandThe Rise of Skywalkerwere fun Easter eggs, but they were probably enough.
Star Wars Rebels
Cast
Set between Episodes III and IV of the Star Wars film franchise, Star Wars Rebels is a canon animated series that follows a group of ragtag heroes who band together to face the Empire. In an age where the Galactic Empire is hunting down the last of the Jedi, a teenage outcast named Ezra Bridger is discovered to be force sensitive by a surviving Jedi known as Kanan Jarrus. Agreeing to join them and accept Jedi training, Ezra becomes a part of a small but growing crew of rebels determined to destroy the empire covertly.
Though Prinze Jr. likely won’t reprise hisStar Warsrole, that doesn’t mean Kanan Jarrus won’t continue to have a lasting impact on the galaxy. Kanan’s son, Jacen, has already proven to be a very important part ofAhsoka, and he’ll likely have to be trained as a Jedi. Additionally, Kanan’s memory lives on with all the people who loved him, and they’re still very important toStar Wars. Hera is a major part of the New Republic, and Ezra will likely battle Grand Admiral Thrawn. Though Kanan Jarrus and Freddie Prinze Jr. may not appear afterThe Rise of Skywalker, their legacies are far from forgotten.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker concludes the Skywalker saga with Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron leading the Resistance against the First Order. As the final battle unfolds, they draw upon the wisdom and strength of previous generations to confront their adversaries. Released in 2019, the film concludes the sequel trilogy.
