It turns out that Oldman, everyone’s favorite actor who was probably in everything at some point, actually took part in the filming process of Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and not as some random Pau’an. According to a recent interview, he actually almost voiced General Grievous himself. The half-droid and half-whatever-the-heck villain remains one of the more memorable elements of that particular Star Wars film, and Oldman’s voice backing him up would have been interesting. But what happened?
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While appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Oldman revealed that he was not only almost part of the movie, he actually recorded some dialogue. Even George Lucas himself directed the session. “Well, I did a voice for Star Wars… was it General Grievous? What happened was something to do with union stuff and non-union stuff,” Oldman explained. “I was not going to be the poster boy for [breaking union rules]. [Lucas] directed me the whole thing; yeah, he was terrific.” It’s fascinating to think about what might have been, but it makes sense why it didn’t come to pass.
General Grievous is either one of the most fearsome villains in Star Wars or one of its most goofy, depending on who’s being asked. But one aspect that many seem to agree on is how fitting his voice is. Voice actor and sound engineer Thomas Wood provided his now-iconic vocal performance in Revenge of the Sith and several other projects, so it’s difficult to imagine how the character might have changed if a legendary name like Oldman were to take over instead. But he had good reasons not to, and it all seemed to turn out well in the end.
Unions can be a tricky business, but they’re an important element in ensuring that workers of all sorts are treated fairly. So Oldman’s unwillingness to step on any toes regarding that world is commendable. This is the same actor whose roles have ranged from the mild-mannered Commissioner Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy to that wonky southern-ish being from The 5th Element and beyond. It’s not like he’s been hurting for a creative outlet.
As interesting as the possibility of Oldman as Grievous is, maybe it was all for the best. Wood’s performance is truly unique, and it would be a shame to have lost something like that in favor of celebrity voice casting. Besides, it’s not like Star Wars is going anywhere. If Oldman wants in at this point, pretty much all he’d have to do is ask. The fans would absolutely love to have him.
Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is available to stream on Disney Plus.
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Source: Happy Sad Confused podcast (via MovieWeb)
