Although there are no plans to make film adaptations of the Thrawn Trilogy from Star Wars Legends, people may still speculate as to who the cast should be. The Star Wars Legends continuity was mostly discontinued in 2014, and though it was designated as an alternate timeline since then, Legends material has been used as inspiration for canon materials. The Han Solo Trilogy of novels inspired both Solo: A Star Wars Story and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Kylo Ren appears to be heavily based on Darth Caedus, and Palpatine’s sequel trilogy return has numerous parallels with Dark Empire. Grand Admiral Thrawn himself has a canon counterpart in Star Wars Rebels, and an eventual live-action appearance seems inevitable.
The Thrawn Trilogy was released in the early 1990s, at a time where the Star Wars Legends continuity was experiencing a resurgence of new novels, comics, and video games. In addition to preparing audiences for the then-upcoming prequel trilogy, the '90s Legends content introduced numerous fan-favorite stories and characters, such as the stormtrooper-turned-Jedi Knight, Kyle Katarn, and the former Sith assassin and adopted daughter of Emperor Palpatine, Mara Jade. The Thrawn Trilogy was easily one of the most iconic and memorable pieces of Legends content from this era, and it was popularly thought of as the “unofficial sequel trilogy” before the live-action sequel trilogy was announced for the post-2014 canon.
Canon Star Wars properties have, notably, recast original trilogy-era characters for flashbacks or, in some cases, spinoff films, inspiring this hypothetical Thrawn Trilogy cast. The original trilogy’s actors are, of course, irreplaceable, but this hypothetical live-action Thrawn Trilogy would be made in the 2020s and closely adapt the Legends-era books. For better or worse, the Legends Thrawn Trilogy can’t exist in canon, as many of its key characters either don’t have canon counterparts, wouldn’t fit into the canon timeline, or, in the case of some original trilogy characters, follow drastically different personality and characterization trajectories. With this in mind, here’s the potential cast for a hypothetical Legends-accurate live-action Thrawn Trilogy.
Luke Skywalker: Sebastian Stan
For years, the Star Wars and Marvel Cinematic Universe faithful have noted the uncanny resemblance between Sebastian Stan and Mark Hamill in his youth. The comparisons are so popular that both actors have responded to them at various points, supporting fan demand for a Sebastian Stan depiction of the Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Beyond that, Sebastian Stan has repeatedly proven his acting skill in leading roles, as shown throughout the MCU, especially 2021’s The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. While Luke carries the weight of being one of the galaxy’s few living Jedi in the trilogy, he still retains his relatability and optimism that won over viewers in the 70s and 80s. Sebastian Stan could portray all of this perfectly.
Leia Organa: Billie Lourd
Similarly (and unsurprisingly), Billie Lourd closely resembles her mother, Carrie Fisher. Moreover, Billie Lourd already played a young Leia in a flashback scene in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The scene notably featured Leia training in lightsaber combat with Luke, a scenario that’s also depicted in the Thrawn Trilogy’s first book, Heir to the Empire. Lourd would have no difficulty depicting Leia as the Jedi-in-training who recruits the Noghri to her cause, thus helping secure victory over Thrawn’s Imperial contingent.
Han Solo: Alden Ehrenreich
A familiar face for current Star Wars audiences, Alden Ehrenreich starred as a young Han Solo in the 2018 spinoff film Solo: A Star Wars Story, honoring Harrison Ford’s iconic performance while making it his own. As shown throughout Solo, Ehrenreich excellently portrays Han’s cocky façade and the sensitive altruist that he is beneath the surface. Ehrenreich’s performance would differ greatly from the 2018 film, as Han has grown significantly since the events of the original trilogy. Alden Ehrenreich is more than good enough to depict a more confident, more cynical, and ultimately more unabashedly heroic Han as he was depicted in the Legends-era novels.
Lando Calrissian: Donald Glover
Another cast member from 2018’s Solo, Donald Glover played a young Lando Calrissian, depicting a younger version of the Star Wars hero who some see as defined by Billy Dee Williams’ charismatic performance in the 1980s. Thanks to Glover’s charisma, witty humor, and one-on-one coaching from Billy Dee Williams himself, he played the suave smuggler excellently. Like Han, Lando is a far more heroic character in the Thrawn Trilogy, working with Solo to secure an alliance between the New Republic and the smuggler Talon Karrde.
Mara Jade: Scarlett Johansson
Mara Jade is one of the Star Wars Legends continuity’s most popular characters, and though she was unfortunately never depicted in a live-action film, she was famously portrayed by Shannon McRandle in promotional photos, creating a clear image of how the famous Sith-turned Jedi Master should look. In a modern live-action film, however, Scarlett Johansson of MCU fame would be an excellent choice. Though there are many surface-deep similarities between Mara Jade and Johansson’s version of Black Widow, the two are ultimately different characters. Throughout the trilogy, Mara struggles with her growing disillusionment with her past life as an Imperial Sith and the murderous suggestion that Palpatine placed in her mind before his death. Mara’s cool-headed demeanor and lethal fighting skills would be excellently portrayed by Scarlett Johansson, despite her current legal battle with Disney.
Talon Karrde: Benicio del Toro
Although Benicio del Toro’s roles in Star Wars canon and the MCU are duplicitous and unsavory, he’d do an incredible job depicting the smuggler and crime boss Talon Karrde. According to Timothy Zahn, Karrde was what Han Solo could have potentially become if he’d stuck to his smuggling career instead of joining the Rebel Alliance. Unlike notable Star Wars crime kingpins like Jabba the Hutt, 8T-88, or Reelo Baruk, Karrde was an honorable individual who helped Mara Jade redeem herself and eventually became an ally of the New Republic. With some major tweaks to a role somewhat similar to DJ, del Toro would be an excellent choice for the likable rogue Karrde.
Thrawn: Jason Isaacs
Well-known for his villainous and contemplative roles, Jason Isaacs would be an ideal choice for Grand Admiral Thrawn. Unlike most Star Wars villains, Thrawn rarely engages in direct combat, preferring a more intellectual approach of outwitting his opponents through clever tactics. Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of the few beings in the galaxy whose intellect is on the same level as Palpatine’s and the Grand Admiral has the uncanny ability to understand cultures by studying their artwork. Isaacs is already a veteran of the Star Wars franchise, having played the Grand Inquisitor in Rebels season 1. Thrawn would be a fundamentally different character, albeit one who Isaacs would portray perfectly.
Gilad Pellaeon: Gary Oldman
Famous for a variety of dramatic roles, Gary Oldman would be an excellent choice for Thrawn’s second-in-command, Gilad Pellaeon. Pellaeon was a high-ranking Imperial Naval Officer during the post-Endor Galactic Civil War, in which the fractured Empire devolved into warlordism. In some ways the Watson to Thrawn’s Sherlock Holmes, Pellaeon is a brilliant and highly competent leader who often finds himself in awe of the eccentric brilliance of the Grand Admiral. Despite being part of the Imperial war machine, Pellaeon is a principled individual who eventually reformed the Empire’s draconian government. Oldman would excellently portray these complexities.
Joruus C'baoth: Charles Dance
With one of his most famous roles being Game of Thrones’ Tywin Lannister, Charles Dance would give a captivating performance as the unstable dark side-using clone, Joruus C'baoth. C'baoth believed that Force-sensitives had a right to rule over those who couldn’t use the Force, taking over the planet Wayland and becoming something of a wild card during his shaky alliance with Thrawn. Dance’s commanding presence and skillful portrayal of the arrogant Tywin in Game of Thrones would make him a terrifying Joruus C'baoth, and a memorable cast member in a hypothetical live-action adaptation of Star Wars Legends’ Thrawn Trilogy.