When news officially broke that Lucasfilm and Disney were making a film about a young Han Solo, the immediate question was “Who could possibly play him?” A new report begins to craft an answer, and that answer is, “Almost anybody.”
The Hollywood Reporter says about 2,500 male actors between the ages of 18-32 have either auditioned in person or put themselves on tape for the chance to play Solo in the 2018 Star Wars Story, directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. It’s being heralded as “the widest casting search ever.”
So who has auditioned so far? More like, who hasn’t: There’s Fury’s Logan Lerman, 23, The Fault in Our Stars’ Ansel Elgort, 21, Transformers: Age of Extinction’s Jack Reynor, 23, Teen Wolf’s Colton Haynes, 27, Bates Motel’s Max Thieriot, 27, Neighbors’ Dave Franco, 30, Godzilla’s Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 25, Whiplash’s Miles Teller, 28, Jurassic World’s Nick Robinson, 20, Kickin’ It’s Leo Howard, 18, The Purge’s Tony Oller, 24, The Walking Dead’s Chandler Riggs, 16, Weeds’ Hunter Parrish, 28, Mr. Robot’s Rami Malek, 34, Hemlock Grove’s Landon Liboiron, 23, Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick, 28, Harry Potter’s Tom Felton, 28, and Galavant’s Joshua Sasse, 27, just to name a few.
The report also is that several “young comedians” have been asked to read. Basically they’re looking for an actor who looks a little bit like Ford did back in the mid-’70s, but also has humor, swagger and an ability to do action.
You may notice the ages are a bit all over the map. That’s because the casting directors are just casting a wide net. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy was quoted several months ago saying they’re aiming to have the character be in his early Twenties, so if the actor can play that age, they’re basically in.
If you happen to be an actor who think they can play Solo, tell your agent to go out for “Red Cup,” which is the film’s secret title. Why “Red Cup?” Chris Miller explains.
Shooting on the as yet untitled Han Solo standalone movie, written by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan, is expected to begin in early 2017. It’ll be released May 25, 2018.
Contact the author at germain@io9.com.