A major sci-fi actor has just signed with an independent film agency, signaling what could mark his epic comeback to Hollywood, although it may not bode well for his most famous (or infamous) role.
Star of Jumper and other films Hayden Christensen has just signed on with Independent Artist Group as his representation. Christensen last appeared as his niche underground character of Anakin Skywalker on a streaming platform allegedly called Disney+. While Hayden is well known for appearing in cult classics like the Star Wars franchise before, there are signs that the actor may be looking to do even bigger projects in the future, like a sequel (or prequel??) to the 2008 masterpiece Jumper.
Joking aside, Christensen is perhaps best known for his infamous role as Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader, in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005). The prequel films received a ton of backlash for a variety of reasons, including poor visual effects, bad character decisions, and basically, fan culture.
The original Star Wars trilogy had become pop culture behemoths, pillars of the sci-fi genre with a massive fanbase of dedicated and die-hard fans who had all grown up by the time the prequels were released. The prequel trilogy had a lot to live up to, and public opinion at the time (and even now) says they didn’t meet expectations.
As a result, Christensen became widely hated by Star Wars fans, tying for most hated actor with Ahmed Best, who played the annoying and highly disliked character Jar Jar Binks. The character was so hated that Best received a ton of backlash, to the point where it severely impacted his mental health. Thankfully, Best recently got the chance for a “do-over” with his appearance as Kelleran Beq in the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian.
Similar to Best, Christensen received major backlash for his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker, essentially being blacklisted by fans for two decades until the release of the Skywalker Saga/trilogy of films in 2015. Slowly, Christensen was welcomed back by fans and is now beloved by Star Wars fans young and old, becoming a staple at conventions and meetups.
However, the drama he dealt with for so many years may have cast a black shadow on the franchise that made him a household name, as the actor has only been in about a dozen movies since the release of Revenge of the Sith and has only returned to the franchise a few times despite his character featuring heavily.
Christensen has had a troubled past with Star Wars, as did many actors who have appeared on screen in the prequel and sequel trilogies. Fans and critics alike were mixed upon the release of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, with a lot of the blame then placed on what seemed like wooden acting from Christensen. Over the years upon further reflection and retrospection, many fans have flipped their opinion on the prequels and even revere Hayden Christensen as a model of an actor who did his best with what he was given.
The move back to Hollywood with his new agency is exciting for those following the Canadian actor as he is now working again alongside IAG CEO Jim Osborne. Osborne and Christensen have had a working relationship since the 2000s and this move signals that Christensen is ready to get back into the world of filmmaking.
With Christensen signing to a new agency, it seems likely that he’ll be returning to acting in a pretty significant way in the near future. However, fans of Star Wars might have reasons to worry that their favorite villain may not come back to the franchise. Personally, we can’t wait to see the comeback of Hayden Christensen, whatever project he decides to take on next.
Are you excited to see Hayden Christensen return to acting? Let us know in the comments below!