Buzz
As The Force Awakens premieres in theaters, fans are swarming the web with rumors. Unlike fan theories, these rumors merely suggest possibilities for the movie's plot without trying to tie them to concrete narrative elements.
With all the buzz surrounding The Force Awakens, it's easy to overlook that fan rumors have always been part of the Star Wars legacy. Here are 10 classic rumors, including one about The Force Awakens that surfaced right after Lucasfilm's announcement.
10. Christopher Walken Cast as Darth Bane
Casting rumors are always rampant leading up to a movie release, but few have captured as much attention as the speculation that Christopher Walken would portray the beloved character Darth Bane in Attack of the Clones. For many outside the hardcore fandom, this character was virtually unknown.
Darth Bane is a Sith Lord featured in Star Wars novels, comics, and video games. Within the Star Wars lore, he was the architect of the 'Rule of Two,' establishing that there could only be two Sith at any given time—one master, one apprentice. When the prequels were released, fans eagerly hoped to see this character on the big screen.
The rumor took off when entertainment site Ain’t It Cool News (AICN) published an article seemingly confirming that Darth Bane would appear in Attack of the Clones, portrayed by none other than the iconic actor Christopher Walken. AICN didn't disclose their source but claimed to have seen the cast list firsthand.
In the early days of the Internet, this rumor spread like wildfire, quickly making its way onto radio and entertainment programs. No one could confirm its validity. It may have stemmed from an early draft of Attack of the Clones, but it's also possible that AICN was simply misinformed. Regardless, the rumor persisted until the film's release, and, as history shows, Christopher Walken never took on the role.
9. Mick Jagger to Compose the Score for The Empire Strikes Back
Back in the days before the Internet, rumors and speculations about movie plots and production were harder to confirm, and public forums were less accessible. While rumors were less frequent for the original trilogy, a few quirky ones did surface. One of the most bizarre was the idea that Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger would replace John Williams to score The Empire Strikes Back.
The rumor took off after a Hollywood trade publication reported that Jagger was supposedly lined up to compose the score. Starlog magazine helped spread the word, giving the rumor more attention. Eventually, Lucasfilm stepped in and confirmed they had no idea where the story had originated from.
When the film finally debuted, John Williams had scored the iconic music, but the Rolling Stones’ influence on the Star Wars franchise wasn’t entirely absent. The night before filming the scene in Empire where the Millennium Falcon arrives at Cloud City, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford spent hours drinking with the Rolling Stones. According to Fisher, they stopped drinking only two hours before the shoot. As a result, both actors appeared slightly tipsy in the final version of the scene.
8. Jet Li to Play Boba Fett
Though Boba Fett hardly plays a major role in the original trilogy, he's become one of the most beloved characters in Star Wars lore. During the development of the prequels, rumors began to circulate about the fate of Boba Fett in the upcoming films. One of the most enduring speculations was that the iconic bounty hunter would be portrayed by martial arts legend Jet Li.
The Jet Li rumor had little to no solid backing, yet it persisted. Each time a new movie was announced, fans revived the speculation, hoping to see more of the legendary bounty hunter in action. The origin of this rumor remains unclear, but it likely stemmed from entertainment magazines and media outlets seeking to boost ratings with sensational claims.
In the end, Boba Fett did make an appearance in Attack of the Clones, but as a young boy, the clone son of bounty hunter Jango Fett. Fans got a glimpse into Boba Fett’s origins and experienced some action through Jango Fett’s character, but it wasn’t quite the same as watching Jet Li take on the infamous bounty hunter role.
7. Han Solo and Darth Vader Combine into One Being
As Return of the Jedi was being developed, rumors spread like wildfire, particularly with the uncertainty about whether Harrison Ford would reprise his role. With little information about Ford's contract, wild rumors emerged regarding Han Solo's fate. One of the strangest speculations was that Han Solo would wield a lightsaber in the final battle and face off in a lightsaber duel with Darth Vader.
The rumor suggested that during their confrontation, a powerful energy surge would cause Han Solo’s ‘life force’ to merge with Darth Vader's. With Han's essence now inside Vader's body, Luke would have no choice but to kill his best friend in order to destroy Darth Vader.
Fans clung to this rumor until the release of Return of the Jedi and were likely disappointed to see the movie take a more traditional approach with a straightforward climax, leaving behind the more unusual metaphysical ideas. Whether this was ever a serious consideration by Lucas remains unclear, but it certainly stands as one of the more bizarre rumors surrounding the Star Wars franchise.
6. Boba Fett is Luke’s Mother
After the jaw-dropping revelation in The Empire Strikes Back that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s father, fans were eagerly awaiting another shocking twist in Return of the Jedi. With Luke's maternal origins still a mystery, many turned to the one character always hidden behind a mask: Boba Fett. Speculation spread that Boba Fett might actually be Luke’s mother.
Surprisingly, this rumor gained some credibility when Mark Hamill, the actor portraying Luke Skywalker, seemed to believe it too. In an interview from that period, Hamill mentioned that he wouldn’t have been surprised if Boba Fett had removed his helmet to reveal that Luke’s mother had been behind the mask all along.
Hamill appeared to have genuinely considered this theory, telling Spin magazine that the twist would actually make sense if Luke’s mother had been on a mission to protect him throughout the trilogy. Unfortunately for fans, the prequel trilogy eventually clarified Boba Fett's backstory and Luke’s mother’s fate, thereby dismissing this fan theory entirely.
5. Leonardo DiCaprio as Anakin Skywalker
This rumor had some basis in reality. After Jake Lloyd played the young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace, George Lucas began searching for a young actor to play the teenage/young adult version of Anakin. Numerous entertainment outlets speculated on potential choices, but one of the most persistent rumors was that Leonardo DiCaprio had been shortlisted by Lucas to play Anakin Skywalker.
Although Lucasfilm never verified the rumor, numerous entertainment websites ran stories backing the idea that Leonardo DiCaprio could play Anakin. Reportedly, paparazzi caught DiCaprio heading to Skywalker Ranch. He even touched on the possibility of portraying Anakin during an interview. However, Lucasfilm is infamous for its tight-lipped confidentiality agreements, leaving room for doubt about whether DiCaprio was genuinely in discussions for the role or simply publicizing himself.
Ain’t It Cool News reported a story where they met Ewan McGregor in a bar, and McGregor allegedly spoke about DiCaprio discussing the role. In reality, DiCaprio did meet Lucas briefly, but he was never in serious talks. Eventually, Hayden Christensen was cast instead.
4. Pussy Riot in The Force Awakens
The first lucky audience members to watch the new Star Wars film are walking out of the theater as this list is being published. (We haven’t had the chance to see it yet!) Before any movie debuts, it’s hard to predict which rumors are true and which are completely far-fetched. Since Disney announced the new film, various websites have been publishing “leaks” about the plot, such as Kylo Ren secretly being Luke Skywalker or Han Solo piloting a Star Destroyer. However, one of the wildest rumors is that the Russian punk group Pussy Riot will make an appearance in the film.
Pussy Riot became internationally infamous after their arrest in Russia for a controversial performance. When the new Star Wars film began production, the band revealed they were in discussions to appear, presumably in a musical role. Speculation on the internet led fans to believe they would perform as a cantina band at some point in the film, although nothing has been officially confirmed as of now.
It wouldn't be too shocking to have a famous rock band rumored to appear in Star Wars. Before Attack of the Clones hit theaters, there were rumors that ‘N Sync would make a cameo in the movie. For Disney, including such a controversial band would be a bold choice, especially since modern blockbusters aim to rake in global profits. For now, though, it seems Pussy Riot will settle for their role in Netflix’s House of Cards, but if you’ve seen the new movie and spotted them, let us know!
3. Natalie Portman’s Nude Scene
Leading up to the release of The Phantom Menace, fans had little insight into what would actually happen in the film, and rumors spread quickly. Aside from the usual casting speculations (such as Liam Neeson playing Yoda), there were even stranger rumors about the new cast.
Though it's unclear exactly where this rumor originated, fans were convinced that Natalie Portman would appear nude in a scene in The Phantom Menace, which would have earned the movie an R rating and broke Star Wars tradition by introducing nudity into one of the films.
A key flaw in this theory was that Natalie Portman was only 17 years old when she filmed The Phantom Menace. This went against industry standards that prohibited minors from appearing in nude scenes. Furthermore, it would have been an unusual shift for the Star Wars series, which typically maintained a family-friendly tone of action and adventure.
By mid-1998, the rumor had persisted to the point that Parade magazine published a short piece debunking it. Thankfully, Star Wars did not venture into the realm of underage nudity, but it’s unsettling to think how widespread the rumor had become.
2. Obi-Wan Is Killed By Anakin But Is Cloned
When the Attack of the Clones trailer was released, sharp-eyed viewers spotted a brief moment where Anakin beheaded a cloaked figure. For some unknown reason, fans became convinced that the cloaked figure was Obi-Wan Kenobi and that he would meet his end in the new film.
But this theory had some serious issues. Obi-Wan is clearly alive in A New Hope, which means he couldn’t have died in Attack of the Clones. Instead of acknowledging this contradiction and considering that the figure was likely another character, fans came up with an elaborate theory about Obi-Wan being cloned.
The rumor proposed that Anakin would kill Obi-Wan, but due to the Clone Wars and the availability of cloning technology, the Republic would use it to bring Obi-Wan back. The theory suggested that the name Obi-Wan was eventually shortened to the alphanumeric OB-1, meaning the Obi-Wan we see in A New Hope is actually a clone of the original Kenobi.
Despite the movie taking a different direction, rumors still circulate that Obi-Wan perished offscreen during the events of the prequel trilogy. This could explain why Obi-Wan appears to have forgotten many details of the Clone Wars and provides Luke with misleading information about his father's true identity and life. The Kenobi clone missed those key events and lacked firsthand knowledge of the Clone Wars.
1. The Obi-Wan/Padme/Anakin Love Triangle Theory
A significant plot element in the prequel trilogy revolves around the blossoming love between Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, a relationship that ultimately contributes to Anakin's fall to the dark side. Yet, after the release of the first prequel, fans began to speculate about a more dramatic twist between the characters. In various fan theories, Anakin’s descent to the dark side is fueled by a love triangle involving Obi-Wan and Anakin both competing for Padme’s affections.
A further development of this fan theory suggested that Obi-Wan, not Anakin, might actually be the father of Luke and Leia due to a secret romance with Padme. While this theory is quite far-fetched, rumors have circulated that such a plotline was originally conceived for the prequels. Some aspects of this idea seem to have influenced the final script, such as Anakin’s inexplicable distrust of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Whether or not the rumored love triangle was ever part of the early script, fans continue to use the theory to interpret the events of the prequel movies, now suggesting that the illicit affair took place offscreen.
One of the most captivating versions of the theory comes from YouTube movie critic Belated Media, who created two videos exploring his vision of how the prequel films could have unfolded. A central element of his reimagined plot revolves around a sense of mutual jealousy between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin, both vying for Padme’s affection.
