Mark Hamill has officially been tapped to voice Chucky in the upcoming reboot of Child’s Play, which is set to release later this year. Hamill previously teased a big announcement coming today on his social media accounts, though most were assuming it had something to do with the upcoming Star Wars movie.

The role of Chucky was made famous by Brad Dourif, who portrayed the character in seven films and will continue to voice the character in an upcoming television series (which takes place in the original continuity, unlike the reboot). Two different versions of the character existing at once might seem confusing enough, but the rebooted Child’s Play will be released theatrically and has a more recognizable cast (including Aubrey Plaza as the star) compared to the original timeline, which has existed as a straight-to-video property for quite some time.

The announcement of Hamill in the role of Chucky in the rebooted Child’s Play was confirmed at WonderCon, with the actor himself announcing it via video. Hamill promises to “present the character in a way you’ve never seen him before” and that he’s excited to be playing such a well-known character. For a look at the full announcement, check out the video below:

While it’s certainly a shocking move bringing an actor of Hamill’s caliber to the role of Chucky, it actually fits with the actor’s past. Hamill is well-regarded for his voice acting work, from his time on Batman: The Animated Series as the Joker to Hobgoblin in the ’90s Spider-Man animated show. He’s also been nominated for several different awards for his voice acting, including a Daytime Emmy Award. This isn’t even getting into his legendary performances as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films. While some fans may be disappointed that Dourif is being replaced (and that the Chucky will get a new look) in the upcoming reboot, Hamill is arguably a great choice to fill his shoes.

Even so, reboots of famous horror films are quite a gamble for studios to make. Rarely do they ever live up to the original in the eyes of both general audiences and critics. That has changed somewhat in recent years, with the remake of IT being a monstrous hit and the upcoming Pet Sematary remake getting solid early reviews. Perhaps this reboot of Child’s Play can follow suit; and with a cast like Plaza and Hamill at the helm, it’s easy to imagine that being the case. Still, fans will have to wait until this summer to decide for themselves how it ranks among the long-running series and how it compares to the forthcoming television series.

More: 10 Things They Will Have To Change In The Child’s Play Remake

Source: Child’s Play Movie

  • Childs Play Release Date: 2019-06-21 Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker Release Date: 2019-12-20