Hi, I’m Chucky, Wanna Play? We all remember that creepy saying that the Chuck doll would utter in the Child’s Play franchise. What if that saying was uttered by voice actor Mark Hamill? Well, imagine no more as Orion Pictures announced on Saturday that Mark Hamill (“Star Wars,” “Knightfall”) has been cast as the voice of Chucky in CHILD’S PLAY. The legendary actor stars alongside Aubrey Plaza, Gabriel Bateman and Brian Tyree Henry in a contemporary re-imagining of the 1988 horror classic that follows Karen (Plaza), a single mother who gifts her son Andy (Bateman) a Buddi doll, unaware of its more sinister nature.
Rising filmmaker Lars Klevberg (“Polaroid”) directs from a script by Tyler Burton Smith (“Sleeping Dogs,” “Quantum Break” video games) based on the original motion picture. David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith produce under their KatzSmith Productions banner (“It”). Aaron Schmidt and Chris Ferguson executive produced the project.
“We feel incredibly lucky to have an icon creating a new take on an iconic character,” said Katzenberg. “Mark is a gifted actor and celebrated vocal performer, and he’s approached this challenge with incredible energy and commitment.”
Hamill is known for portraying one of the most iconic characters in film, ‘Luke Skywalker’ in George Lucas’ original “Star Wars” trilogy. Audiences can currently watch Hamill in the second season of History’s “Knightfall” and he will appear in Disney’s “Star Wars: Episode IX” which will be released this December. Hamill is a prolific voice-over actor and has lent his voice as the ‘Joker’ in “Batman: The Animated Series,” the “Arkham Aslyum” video game series, and the animated films, “The Killing Joke” and “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.” In addition, Hamill voiced many characters in Cartoon Networks beloved “Regular Show.” Hamill also appeared on stage in “The Elephant Man,” “Amadeus” (First National Tour directed by Sir Peter Hall), the Drama Desk Nominated “Harrigan n’ Hart,” “The Nerd,” “Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks” and the Roundabout Theatre production of “Room Service,” directed by Alan Arkin.
Child’s Play, the 1988 film, grossed over $44 million worldwide on a $9 million budget and spawned one of the most recognizable and successful horror characters of all time with its psychotic killer doll, Chucky.
Orion Pictures will release CHILD’S PLAY through their United Artists Releasing banner on June 21, 2019.
