Star Wars: Recasting the original and prequel trilogies for the 2020s

3. Nicolas Cage as Ben Kenobi

No one quite lent credibility to the original Star Wars like Alec Guinness, who had roles in Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, The Prisoner, The Bridge on the River Kwai, and The Comedians all before ever being considered for the role of Ben Kenobi. This choice is specific to the Old Ben of the original trilogy, and it would be nothing short of fascinating to see Nicolas Cage take on that challenge.

Comparing Nicolas Cage and Alec Guinness would probably make some critics roll over in their graves, but you can’t argue against Cage’s cinematic impact in the last several decades. Guinness was a stalwart of cinema and stage, but Nicolas Cage is a mainstay of every movie you’ve seen and every movie you’ve never seen.

Cage is a workhorse who has put on more memorable roles than most can remember, even when the film itself or script handed him something truly forgettable. Cage won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actor in 1995 due to his performance in Leaving Las Vegas, but he also received numerous nominations for his role in Adaptation.

With a range that includes mainstream and cult favorites like The Rock, Con Air, National Treasure, and Ghost Rider, it would be truly fascinating to see Nicolas Cage try and dive into the role of Old Ben Kenobi and the mentor of Tom Holland’s Luke Skywalker in this fascinating recast of the original trilogy.