If the Star Wars prequels were never made, which actor you would have imagined as the Pre-Prequels Anakin Skywalker?

That old white guy from the end of RotJ but like...young.

Going by that picture? Sean Bean.

This looks like the spitting image of Michael C. Hall.

Vince Vaughn with Owen Wilson as Obi-Wan

Christopher Walken

On a side note, what is that picture?

I recall some magazine doing a fan cast of the prequels around the time Last Crusade came out. They had River Phoenix as Anakin, Kenneth Branagh as Obiwan, and Wynona Rider as Luke and Leia's mom. So I want that cast

Danny devito

James Earl Jones.

Joshua Jackson

What is that creature the woman is carrying?

Matt Lanter would've been cool to see in a live action format.

Samuel l jackson

There is an actor called Sam Riley who starred in a low budget British film called Control about Ian Curtis and Joy Division in the 00s. Sam Riley looks exactly right, behaves exactly right, has the gravitas on screen, and would have been a plausible young Sebastian Shaw. He would have been my choice for Anakin Skywalker, and I’ve felt that way for 20 years.

Rip Torn

Why does that look like Kevin James

A younger Joaquin Phoenix, I feel like he would he able to perfectly master that in between sweetspot between going psychotic and murdering children and still causing us to love and feel for his pain

Theres this guy that hasn't done much besides a few cameos for the past 15 years but I think he'd be great! I belive his name is Hayden Christensen or something like that.

Watto.

Can I say Mark Hamill? It also ties in with the Dagobah Luke-face-Vader; it’s like poetry, it rhymes.

River Phoenix … I think if he had lived we would have seen a different prequel trilogy without child Anakin. I believe George would have cast his original young Indy in the role.

Hayden Christiansen

After watching Gladiator and 3:10 to Yuma, I felt that Russell Crowe would've been an amazing Anakin Skywalker.

He's got the gravitas of a general from humble origins who leads from the front and earns the respect of his men while also being professional and loyal but more so loyal to his intrinsic values than those forced upon him from an external system. He's also got the humor and fun-loving rogueish flyboy flavors of personality without being an asshole or dick about it...doesn't abuse his power and stands up for the little guy, which he does to a fault because if an order goes against his morals then he may be Insubordinate....which would make his turn to Darth Vader all the more tragic.

Wouldn't have Sebastian Shaw been a better choice since he was supposedly the one playing Vader under the suit back then. James Earl Jones was the voice I like Jones a lot I just can't see him playing Vader physically though

DiCaprio

Honestly? A young Jon Favreau.

I always imagined a bigger guy as Anakin - someone who looks physically imposing but with a real cuddlable personality. A gentle giant.

I think that would have made the contrast between the noble and great Anakin Skywalker and the terrifying and intimidating Darth Vader something truly stark, compared to the whiny incel interpretation we ended up with (which I think kinda undermines Vader, especially if you watch machete order).

Danny Devito.

I always imagined young Anakin as Jonny Lee Miller (Sick Boy from Trainspotting) before the prequels were cast. Ralph Fienes was Obi-Wan in my head. I pictured Winona Ryder as Anakin’s wife. Keep in mind these were all mid/late 90s imaginings before we knew anything about the characters.

Modern day actors: Robert Pattinson, Finn Jones, or Wyatt Russell.

If it was made now? Leonardo DiCaprio. Im tryna see something.

Okay. So what do you mean by "pre-prequels"?

Are we recasting the entire role OR just Anakin as a child?

If we're recasting the entire role, I've always thought of Anakin as having a tall, strong but lithe build, so my top three picks, strongly based on appearance as well as good acting chops mind you, would be:

1. Heath Ledger.
   • Do I have to say anything? Maybe I have some rose tinted glasses, but in my mind, there's no better choice for such an emotionally complex character. Yes, he's not quite 6' but he's close enough, and it's Heath fuckin' Ledger. He'd act the sh°t out of this role, not to mention he definitely has the build for it outside of being barely too short. (We'll put lifts in his Jedi boots damnit!)

~

1. Bill Skarsgård.
   • He has the height for the role, has shown he can build up the physical aspect if necessary, and I think given his ability to do serious dramatic and edgy characters, he has the capacity to play Anakin with all the emotional range needed. And he had the perfect look for Anakin as a child too.

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1. Robert Pattinson.
   • Outside of the shadow of the Twilight movies, he's really had a chance to show his acting chops, and he had the capacity to take on a tortured, struggling Anakin very well I think. He also would be able to put on enough weight to be a believable strong, if a little lanky Anakin.

There are much better actors, acting wise, but assuming we are picking for physique as well, that narrows down the choices a fair bit. Plus, some actors I vastly prefer, either are too big for the role, or I haven't seen them do something similar enough that I would be like, "Yeah! Him!"

A few honorable mentions though: Jon Hamm, RDJ, Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jake Gyllenhaal, Adam Driver, Will Poulter.

Mr. Bean

I don't understand the question?

Are you asking who we would have picked to play him in a hypothetical movie? If so, then as a kid or as an adult? And what year? It would massively change who I imagine if this is post ROTJ, the 90s or modern day.

Honestly I was expecting someone like Dooku (as he is now after his book and Tales of the Jedi stuff), but younger / in his early 30s at the time of the Clone Wars, with Obi Wan being in his mid-40s. So someone with a good ability to pull off principled brooding vibes… Maybe a Russel Crowe (for an early 30s Anakin) or Heath Ledger (if one wanted to keep the younger 20s Anakin).

I think a broad-shouldered leading man type. Brock Hudson energy. Someone who would be very unexpected to become corrupted and villainous.

Mark Hammil with an evil goatee

If he were cast today in the prequels, I would vote Robert Pattinson.

James McAvoy

Sebastian stan

I'm happy that the prequels were made

Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa- Hold the phone!

Why does the lady in this pic look just like Elecia Zeveron, the Mother of the Path of the Open Hand cult?!

PS: She’s from the High Republic era.

Michael Fasbender.

Justin Berfield (Reese from Malcom in the Middle) auditioned for young Anakin and I think he did a good job. Also, Frankie Muniz as Anakin would be hilarious

CGI Mark

Jeff Bridges

I will not elaborate

hayden christenson was pretty much meant to be anakin imo. i can't think of anyone else in this role

This illustration is so cool, whats it from?

Hugh Grant.

Based on this photo: Micheal C Hall (dexter actor).

Who would I actually cast? I dunno

Literally count Duko

Kurt Russell!

Also, I like this look for Padme. Would have preferred we got the original ideas for the prequels versus what we got.