It’s been a long, long road to finding someone to fill Harrison Fords boots and step in to the Star Wars Cinematic Universe as a younger version of Fords iconic character Han Solo in an upcoming Star Wars Spin off film that will explore everyones favourite stuck up, half witted scruffy-looking nerf-herder in the time of his life preceding his big screen debut in Star Wars: A New Hope. Well, we might have come to the end of that road, with Hail Caesar!s Alden Ehreneich reportedly confirmed for the role, according to Deadline.
Ehreneich is best known for his critically acclaimed, scene-stealing role in The Coen Brothers Hail Caeser!, in which he acted alongside Hollywood stars like George Clooney, Jonah Hill and Scarlett Johansson.
If he has indeed been cast, then 26 year old Ehreneich will have beaten out a number of other young actors for the part, including Taron Egerton, Jack Reynor and Scott Eastwood, though earlier reports also suggested that Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort and Logan Lerman were on the shortlist, too.
The film will be directed by The Lego Movie directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who recently took to Instagram on Star Wars Day, aka May the 4th, to share a sneak peak of the film, posting a picture of Han Solo’s famous blaster with the caption “Can’t wait to get “shooting””, prompting many fans to believe that production on the film will start soon, and that a casting announcement was close.
Can't wait to get "shooting"!#MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/HlteYut6m0
— Christopher Miller (@chrizmillr) May 4, 2016
The kind-of-prequel, which will sit somewhere between Episodes 3 and 4 in the Star Wars canon and will see Solo sans-Princess Leia, but still possibly in league with his partner in crime Chewbaca, is expected to be titled Han Solo: A Star Wars Story, in the same vain as the other Star Wars Anthology Rogue One (to be released later this year), and will be a sort of Origin story for the loveable rogue.
The films script has been written by Lawrence Kasdan, the man who co-write Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi with Star Wars mastermind George Lucas all those years ago. Kasdan was reportedly given the first choice of any of the Star Wars stories Disney had in mind to produce, and leapt on the chance to write the Han Solo story, before JJ Abrams drafted him to help with re-writes on last decembers Blockbuster hit The Force Awakens.
The Han Solo spin off will the be 2nd of the Star Wars anthology’s to hit our screens, and the fourth new Star Wars film over all since Disney acquired the rights.
Though Alden Ehreneich has yet to be confirmed officially by Disney or LucasFilm, the announcement is reportedly imminent, and he is said to be in the very final stages of signing his contract.
What do you think of this casting decision? Let us know on Twitter @CelebMix, or in the comments below.
