Star Wars: Boba Fett actor criticises reports that Disney are re-naming beloved ‘Slave I’ spaceship

Vehicle has been re-branded ‘Boba Fett’s Starship’ on recent merchandise

One of the actors to have played Star Wars villain Boba Fett has objected to Disney’s reported decision to rename the character’s spaceship.

The vehicle, which is instantly recognisable to many fans of the hit sci-fi franchise, has been known for decades as Slave I (“Slave One”).

Star Wars fan site Jedi News first reported that the name of the ship had been changed on recent Lego Star Wars merchandise to “Boba Fett’s Starship”.

Speaking with Lego Star Wars designers Jens Kronvold Frederiksen and Michael Lee Stockwell, it was suggested that the change is being implemented by Disney across all Star Wars properties.

“We’re not calling it Slave I anymore,” said Stockwell. “This is Boba Fett’s Starship.”

“Everybody is [dropping the name ‘Slave I’],” added Frederiksen. “It’s probably not something which has been announced publicly but it is just something that Disney don’t want us to use anymore.”

Daniel Logan, the actor who played a young Boba Fett in Attack of the Clones and in The Clone Wars, shared a meme on his Instagram stories which appeared to make fun of the name change.

Visual effects artist Mark Anthony Austin, who played Fett in the 1997 re-release of A New Hope, also criticised the rumoured name change on Twitter.

“When applying for personalised plates for my car the DMV would not allow ‘Slave1’,” he wrote. “Okay I understand. Had to try. But I get it. This #disney idiocy however. Not buying it. Not conforming to the Mouse, no siree. Not gonna happen. When I was growing up I loved #disney. No more.”

He further explained: “You have to consider who’s ship it is. A bounty hunter. A hunter of dangerous targets. Somebody like that imbues mystery, darkness and brooding….

“Slave1 is a perfect name for such a character’s spaceship. It too imbues a dark and ominous threat to be feared by any fugitive.”

Disney or Lucasfilm have not yet commented on the reports. The Independent has contacted both for comment.

A new Disney Plus series focusing on Fett, entitled The Book of Boba Fett, will be released later this year.