Mark Hamill has likened working on 'Star Wars: Episode IX' to being part of "some secret deep state government organisation".

Mark Hamill

Mark Hamill

The 67-year-old actor - who plays Luke Skywalker in the money-spinning film series - has admitted that secrecy levels surrounding the franchise have markedly increased since the first movie in 1977.

He told Entertainment Weekly: "You know how it is these days, every time you sign NDAs.

"I remember back when I read the first 'Star Wars' [script], I was like, 'Wow, that's the goofiest thing I've ever read.' I gave it to my best friend to read, and I said, 'What do you think of it?' He said, 'It's really wild, it's crazy, can I give it to Meredith?' 'Sure, go ahead.' It went around to all my friends.

"Of course back then nobody cared. Nowadays it's like working for some secret deep state government organisation, like being in the CIA. They're going to send rewrites over to Prague on this dark red paper that gives you a headache to read."

The dark red paper idea was previously employed by J.J. Abrams while he was directing 2015's 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'.

And Mark revealed the studio is taking every possible precaution to ensure that plot details do not leak.

He said: "They're going to fly [the rewrites] over with somebody from the company.

"They're going to come and give it to me and wait for me to read it before I give it back. So no pressure! You can't even keep it overnight. But that's the way it is now."