I Don’t Want Any of the Actors on the Shortlist to Play Han Solo
A new report gives us several actors who may be cast to play a young Han Solo in a Star Wars prequel film and I’m not liking any of them.
Variety reports:
Sources tell Variety that after seeing thousands of actors, execs have cut the list down to about a dozen actors with Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco, Jack Reynor, Scott Eastwood, Logan Lerman, “Brooklyn” star Emory Cohen and “Everybody Wants Some” actor Blake Jenner among the names making the cut.
NDAs and test deals are still being worked out, but producer Kathleen Kennedy and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller will begin testing the new group with a decision expected in the next couple of weeks.
My biggest opinion on this list is Teller couldn’t be more wrong for the role. But I can’t say I’ve liked him in anything I’ve seen him in so there’s my bias. Elgort has had lots of success playing characters in young adult adaptations The Fault in Our Stars and the Divergent series but I haven’t seen him give much range in either. I honestly had to google everyone else on the list. Though if I had to choose I’d definitely go for an unknown for something like this over a household name.
Look, we still have no idea what the Han Solo film is going to be about. It’s likely going to center itself around an actor acting really cocky for two hours and without other characters to ground him (like if it’s a simple smuggling scenario), I’m not sure that’s the kind of story I want to watch.
[Editor’s Note: Star Wars: The Force Awakens spoilers in the next bit.]
For me personally, I’m also down on the idea for two other reasons. One, we just came off a fantastic female-led film with Star Wars: The Force Awakens and two, we just saw Han die. “Too soon” keeps popping into my head. We didn’t even get closure for the beloved character and now we’re being asked to imagine him as someone else. As a fan, it feels off. Even if the Han Solo solo film isn’t set to be released until May 25, 2018.
[End spoilers]
Variety writes, “With the exception of Eastwood, who’s 29, Disney and Lucasfilm seem to be zeroing in on actors between the ages of 20 to 25. The studios tested actors as young as 17 to as old as 34.” They also suggest casting is happening now because an unconfirmed cameo in the next Star Wars film, Rogue One (which takes place between Episode III and Episode IV).
What are your thoughts on the film as a whole and the casting?
The only person who gives me any enthusiasm for this project at all is Anthony Ingruber (a pretty much unknown actor who played a young Harrison Ford recently in Age of Adaline). Desperately hoping that Disney looks outside this rather depressing shortlist. James Costa is another unknown whose name I’ve seen brought up because of his brilliant impressions.
They look nothing even remotely like a young Harrison Ford.
Miles Teller could be the new series Jar Jar.
Your schadenfreude knows no bounds. I like it.
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The Han Solo Trilogy was my favorite series from the EU, which makes me have mixed feelings about this project.
Yeah, those books were classic. I still giggle when I think about him switching out the oceanic holocron for some sort of musical, and being surprised when he got a full-blown revolt on his hands! XD
Han Solo is established in an arc that goes from charismatic Rogue, to reluctant Hero, to fully-fledged adult with regrets whose death hinges on closing the arc in a humane moment of simply being a father offering his son a chance to come home. It’s complete and I don’t see this adding to the narrative at all. I also HATE this list, because to play charismatic Rogue does not seem to be in the wheelhouse of any of these actors. I’m filing this under, “Unnecessary White Dudes,” that aren’t interesting to me. Of the OT characters that one that WASN’T fully-fledged out in terms of motive and personal backstory (in live-action, at least) beyond parentage, is Leia. I would be SO on board for an origins film focused on HER.
I like Dave Franco. I think he could be interesting.
I like him, but he doesnt feel right in that role to me.
Better than the others.