Credit: LucasfilmAlthough several Disney+ Star Wars television series have closely orbited the original trilogy, including The Mandalorian (2019), The Book of Boba Fett (2021), and Ahsoka (2023), all of which take place during the New Republic era, we have yet to see the franchise’s three most iconic characters, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia, get the screen time they deserve.
In fact, since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, Luke, Han, and Leia have barely appeared anywhere meaningful besides the sequel trilogy films, where they were arguably wasted anyway.
Leia had a brief appearance in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), where she was played by Ingvild Deila with Carrie Fisher’s likeness superimposed onto her face, and similarly, Luke appeared in The Mandalorian Season 2 and The Book of Boba Fett, in which Mark Hamill was digitally de-aged. But as for Han (Harrison Ford’s version at least), he’s been left on the sidelines.
Fortunately, all three characters debuted at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland earlier this year, which suggests that Disney is starting to lean into the franchise’s most recognizable heroes.
But why haven’t the characters at least been given proper screen time in an animated project over the years?
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While Luke, Han, and Leia have appeared across animated projects such as Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018), Star Wars: The Forces of Destiny (2017–2018), and Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures (2018), they have never appeared together in a major canon animated series, of which there have been plenty since Disney acquired the franchise, including the likes of The Bad Batch (2021–2024) and Maul – Shadow Lord (2026).
While there are reports that Luke might lead a new round of the Tales of episodes (following Tales of the Jedi, Tales of the Empire, and Tales of the Underworld), Lucasfilm hasn’t announced anything.
Otherwise, these three characters remain among the most underused when it comes to animation. As for the world of gaming, they have at least enjoyed more substantial appearances in titles such as Disney Infinity and Star Wars: Battlefront.
Luke, Han, and Leia Return (and They Look Awesome)
Fortunately, the original trilogy trio have now returned in a brand-new video game, whose official trailer showcases an awesome animation style that’s worthy of its own Disney+ series.
Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains (2026) is no board game, though—it’s a gaming experience that’s now available across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 1 and 2, GeForce NOW, and PC via the Ubisoft Store, Steam, and the Epic Games Store. Watch the official trailer below:
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As you can see, the game features many more iconic characters than just Luke, Han, and Leia — there’s Ahsoka Tano, Rey, Darth Maul, Darth Vader, Yoda, Mace Windu, Chewbacca, and more.
Here’s the official description from Ubisoft:
“A dynamic team-based twist on the world’s favorite family board game from Hasbro, Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains offers reimagined gameplay with cinematic moments, themed spaces, and dynamic elements so that no two matches are the same. Build teams with iconic Star Wars heroes and villains, each of whom brings unique abilities that can shape strategy and turn the tide in your favor with every roll of the dice. Teamwork and hero combinations play a pivotal role in securing victory.”
The game features a custom Monopoly board with iconic Star Wars locations, competitive 2v2 and 3v3 modes, and a huge roster of characters that includes Princess Leia, Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and more, each with distinct hero abilities that allow for a new adventure in every match.
Will Luke, Han, and Leia Return to Star Wars?
Whether Lucasfilm will ever recognize the value of bringing Luke, Han, and Leia into animation in a film or television project properly remains to be seen.
For now, there are no plans to bring them back outside gaming.
The next film, Star Wars: Starfighter (2027), which stars Ryan Gosling in the lead role, takes place five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker (2019), by which point Luke, Han, and Leia are long dead. And the only currently planned animated project is Star Wars: Visions Presents (2026), which will adapt anthology episodes from Visions into individual spinoff series.
The most likely place they could appear is in Ahsoka Season 2 (2027), which takes place during the New Republic era a few years after Return of the Jedi (1983). That said, they failed to show up in the latest Star Wars film, The Mandalorian & Grogu (2026), which is set at the same time.
Other Star Wars Video Games in Development
Meanwhile, there are several other Star Wars games in development, including the turn-based, strategy and tactics game Star Wars Zero Company, which releases on August 27, and the podracing title Star Wars: Galactic Racer, which arrives on October 6.
The long-gestating narrative-driven game Star Wars Eclipse, however, is now said to be at risk, with several Quantic Dream workers having gone on strike due to ongoing layoffs, per Polygon.
Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains launched on June 30.
Will you be playing Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains? Would you like to see an animated series or animated films with the original Star Wars characters? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
