JJ Abrams Is Having Second Thoughts About 1 Star Wars Villain Decision

General Armitage Hux was one of the Star Wars sequel trilogy's most entertaining villains. Played by Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson across all three films, the ruthless First Order general delivered some of the saga's most memorable moments, from his fire-and-brimstone speech at Starkiller Base to his constant, seething rivalry with Kylo Ren. Yet, by the time The Rise of Skywalker came around, Hux was sidelined and killed off in the film's first act, barely given room to breathe. 

Now, the director responsible for two of those three films is admitting that it was a mistake. In an interview with Beat at the US-Ireland Alliance's 20th annual Oscar Wilde Awards, JJ Abrams said he wished Gleeson had "a larger role" in what they did before: 

"Anyone I can think of I would want to work with... Tonight, Domhnall Gleeson is here and he's someone who I've been lucky enough to work with in the past and would just love to work with again in a bigger way. I wish he had a larger role in what we did before. So, getting to work with him again would be a dream." 

The comment is interesting given the history. When Hux first appeared in The Force Awakens, he felt like a genuine threat. His Nuremberg-style speech before Starkiller Base fired, commanding billions of deaths across the Hosnian system, announced him as the non-Force-wielding face of the First Order's evil. 

Then came The Last Jedi, directed by Rian Johnson, which reframed Hux as something of a punching bag for Kylo Ren's frustrations. He was Force-slammed, mocked, and humiliated at nearly every turn. By the time Abrams returned for The Rise of Skywalker, Hux's arc had been so diminished that the film's big twist, revealing him as the Resistance spy feeding intelligence to the enemy, landed without the impact it deserved. He was shot dead by Allegiant General Pryde shortly after the reveal.

Gleeson has spoken candidly about all of this in the past. He said it would have been nice to see the spy storyline play out longer while also defending Abrams' overall judgment. He understood the decision, but the character deserved more runway. Now, it looks like the director himself shares that sentiment.

What’s the Likelihood of Gleeson & Abrams Working Together Again?

Abrams' dream of collaborating with Gleeson again may not be wishful thinking. The director has The Great Beyond, an original science-fantasy film starring Glen Powell and Jenna Ortega, set for a Warner Bros. release on November 13. Whether Gleeson factors into that project or a future collaboration remains to be seen.

For his part, Gleeson is coming off a strong run. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in The Patient alongside Steve Carell and currently stars in NBC's The Paper, a mockumentary series in the tradition of The Office. He is by any measure one of the most in-demand character actors working today.

However, the likelihood of a door existing for Gleeson to return to Star Wars in some capacity is a separate question. Lucasfilm announced a couple of post-sequel-era projects, but none of them seem likely to bring back First Order characters, and the franchise's live-action output has largely remained set before the events of The Force Awakens. Hux's on-screen death in The Rise of Skywalker also complicates a straightforward return. However, if something does materialize, Gleeson is likely to be interested.