The shortlist of actors who will potentially play the young Han Solo for the upcoming “Star Wars” spinoff movie is reportedly available. While Harrison Ford was announced to reprise his role as the space bandit, Disney has yet to confirm who will play his younger self.
Insiders claimed that tests for the role of the young Han Solo were conducted in London earlier in March 2016. Actors such as Alden Ehrenreich ("Hail, Caesar!"), Jack Reynor ("Transformers: Age of Extinction") and Taron Egerton ("The Kingsman") participated in the tests for the "Star Wars" project.
According to sources, there may be a few more actors vying for the role of a young Han Solo. However, it is very difficult to determine their names because of how the cast and crew of “Star Wars” projects manage to keep the details secret until the big launch. It is also uncertain what type of tests were done by the young Han Solo potentials.
The Hollywood Reporter notes that, previously, about 10 actors met with the film directors. The former list allegedly included Miles Teller ("Whiplash"), Ansel Elgort ("Fault in Our Stars"), Emory Cohen ("Brooklyn"), Dave Franco, Scott Eastwood and actors from “Everybody Wants Some.”
The latest shortlist reportedly came from these potential stars. Disney and Lucasfilm were said to have scanned over 2,500 actors, in person and on tape, to find the ideal young Han Solo. The process turned out to be one of the biggest casting calls in history.
Han Solo was originally played by Harrison Ford in the 1977 film “Star Wars: A New Hope.” He reprised his role in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back,” “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” and the latest movie “The Force Awakens.” Solo has been a key character in the franchise and is credited for being one of the big contributors in making the movie projects a success.
Harrison Ford is currently 73 years old. His character died in “The Force Awakens,” but the upcoming film will delve on his younger days, most likely with his good friend Chewbacca, before he met Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, per Entertainment Weekly.
The Han Solo standalone movie is being created by Disney, Lucasfilm and filmmakers Christopher Miller and Phil Lord. It is expected to be released in 2018.
