Han Solo Shortlist Includes Miles Teller And Dave Franco; ‘Rogue One’ Cameo Rumored
Harrison FordisHan Solo, as much as any real person can embody any fictional character, and it’s tough to imagine anyone else stepping into the role after nearly 40 years. But with a “young Han Solo” spinoff in the works fromPhil LordandChris Miller, the time has come for us to meet and hopefully fall for a different stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder.
The filmmakers have taken their time, reportedly looking atthousands of young actorsfor the part, and now they’ve finally started to narrow down their choices. Among those on the shortlist areMiles Teller,Ansel Elgort,Dave Franco, andLogan Lerman. Hit the jump for more on the Han Solo shortlist.
Varietyreports that the Han Solo shortlist currently consists of about a dozen names, including Teller, Elgort, Franco, Lerman,Jack Reynor(Transformers: Age of Extinction),Scott Eastwood(Suicide Squad),Emory Cohen(Brooklyn), andBlake Jenner(Everybody Wants Some). Lord, Miller, and producerKathleen Kennedyare expected to test the finalists and zero in on a winner within the next few weeks.
The Han Solo movie isn’t due out untilMay 25, 2018and won’t start shooting until January 2017. However, the trade notes, there may be a very interesting reason why the filmmakers are so eager to lock down a lead. Rumor has it the new Han Solo will be introduced via a small cameo inRogue One: A Star Wars Story, which arrivesDecember 16, 2016. The film, set betweenEpisode IIIandEpisode IV, has about one month of shooting left.
Not surprisingly, the actors on the shortlist fit a similar profile. While the initial casting search included actors as young as 16 (Chandler Riggs) and as old as 34 (Rami Malek), the names above mostly fall in their early 20s. Some are more famous than others, but all are actors who could use a big, splashy franchise role to boost their careers to the next level.
Personally, I think Teller seems like the most obvious choice, but also one of the less interesting ones. A lesser known actor like Reynor would have more capacity to surprise, and would come with less baggage from his previous roles. I’d also love to see Cohen, so magnetic in last year’sBrooklyn, get the opportunity to shine on his own. Which actors do you like for the part?
