Michael Fassbenderhas enjoyed a varied and dynamic career that bridges the gap between commercial blockbusters and challenging independent films. He’s equally comfortable in films likeX-Men: ApocalypseorAssassin’s Creedas he is wearing a helmet for the entirety ofFrankor slipping into the skin of a despicable character in12 Years a Slave. So it’s no surprise that the talented and versatile performer was under consideration for a role in theStar Warsfranchise.
Indeed, Fassbender revealed onJosh Horowitz’s podcast happysadconfused(viaEW) that he met for a role inStar Wars: The Force Awakens:
“We talked about a role. We had a conversation. I’m pretty sure I was busy doing something else in the summer he was kickstarting that.”
Fassbender doesn’t specify which character he was meeting for, butwe did report in January 2014 that the actor was under considerationfor a role alongsideAdam Driverand alsoHugo Weavingfor “an Imperial commander” (Hux?). We now know that Driver was the first nameKathleen Kennedysuggested for the role of Kylo Ren, but it’s possibleJ.J. Abramsmet with other actors to be sure. Or perhaps Fassbender was under consideration for the role of General Hux, which went toDomhnall Gleeson? Or maybe even Poe Dameron? Or it’s possible it was simply one of those general meetings that took place when the script forThe Force Awakenswas still very much in flux, as Fassbender’s casting broke in the wake of screenwriterMichael Arndtexiting the project.
Whatever the case, it’s not hard to imagine Fassbender knockingStar Warsout of the park. He’s shown a willingness to play around in big budget territory with films likePrometheusand the upcomingAlien: Covenantwhile bringing a gravity and air of expertise to the role. He most recently tried his hand at a video game adaptation withAssassin’s Creed, which he produced, but reviews have not been entirely kind.
But even though Fassbender’s schedule didn’t line up forThe Force Awakens, that doesn’t take him out of the running for a role in a futureStar Warsfilm.Episode IXperhaps? Boba Fett spinoff? Let the dream casting begin.
