Back in May 2020 I got the opportunity to chat with Jason Isaacs for the release of Scoob! and had to ask him about the future of one of my favorite Star Wars animated characters, the Grand Inquisitor. Isaacs made a huge impression voicing the role in Star Wars Rebels, but there’s no denying that this would be an especially exciting character to see on-screen in live-action form as well. And, as it turns out, it does seem like a live-action part that would still be very well suited to Isaacs. At the time, Isaacs was open to the possibility but after seeing what went down in The Mandalorian Season 2, we felt it was well worth revisiting the topic.

There’s been a lot of talk of Star Wars animated characters crossing over to live-action for quite a while now, and The Mandalorian Season 2 finally did it - twice at that! Not only did the show introduce Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano, but it also saw Katee Sackhoff making the leap from voicing Bo-Katan to playing the character in the flesh. Now that Sackhoff set that precedent, it seems the door could be wide open for someone like Isaacs to do the same.

the-mandalorian-katee-sackhoff-bo-katan-social-feature
Image via Disney+

While appearing on Collider Connected, our own Liz Shannon Miller referenced that earlier conversation about Isaac’s interest in playing a live-action Inquisitor. He reconfirmed and noted:

“I think it was because of his lightsaber. I’d like to use that spinning red lightsaber. I have the coolest wand in the Harry Potter world and I have the cool lightsaber in the Star Wars world.”

A very fair reason to have the itch to play that character in live-action form right there and a mighty fun thing to consider, but what if the opportunity really did come Isaacs’ way? Would he do it? Here’s what he said:

“I’m open to anything. It’s always about the script. I don’t want to just turn up so that I can take some photographs and go to conventions. I’d like to play parts. The Inquisitor was a great part when I played it and if the Inquisitor was a great part again, I’d be up for it. I’m not sure I’ve got the patience of Doug Jones who plays Saru in Discovery, who was the creature in The Shape of Water and stuff. I don’t now how many hours I’d like to spend in prosthetics. But yeah, Katee had a very good time. I know Katee and I’ll say, I’ve loved being part of the Star Wars world. They’ve invited me in although I’ve only ever been an animated character before.”

Jason Isaacs' Inquisitor in Star Wars Rebels
Image via Disney

Isaacs further stressed the importance of the script and also having variety in the roles he takes on:

“It’s always the script and what you get to do. I know that for other people they go, ‘I’d love to see you in this,’ or, ‘I’d love to see you in that.’ Mostly it’s people would like to see me do something they’ve seen me do before. They go, ‘There’s a character just like that in this. Wouldn’t you like to be in Outlander playing so and so?’ And I go, ‘Well, not really because you’re just saying I should bring that character over from The Patriot,’ or whatever.”

In a sense, yes, playing the Inquisitor in a live-action Star Wars movie or show would essentially be seeing Isaacs do something he’s done before, but one can’t help but wonder what Isaacs could add to the character by incorporating his physicality as well. No, there’s nothing substantial out there right now to suggest this will really happen, but with Star Wars properties popping up in all different forms featuring stories that take place all over the timeline, you really never know. And it looks like Isaacs is adhering to that “you never know” approach as well:

“I’m being a bit cagey because, you know, it could happen, I suppose.”

If you’d like to hear more from Isaacs, be sure to catch Liz’s full chat with him below: