According to THR, no less than 2,500 thespians have sent tapes to casting director Jeanne McCarthy and it seems the studio is casting a very wide net as it looks for the right man for the job.
“This has been the easiest movie to audition for,” an unnamed agent told THR. “They are seeing everyone.”
Dave Franco (21 Jump Street), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass), and Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars), have all thrown their hats into a ring that includes at least 2,497 others, but Disney and Lucasfilm have yet to make a decision on who the next scruffy-looking nerf herder will be.
While Harrison Ford was a relative unknown when he played Han Solo in Star Wars Episode IV — A New Hope, the character has now taken on almost mythic status. We know Ford as Solo and vice versa, so you can see why Disney and Lucasfilm are being meticulous about this process. Cast the wrong person in this role and it could impact the audience’s suspension of disbelief in a major way.
The film is currently operating under the humorous code name Red Cup (a red Solo cup reference), but has yet to name an official title. The casting team is reportedly seeking someone who is funny, charming, convincing as an action hero, and looks somewhat like a young Ford.
If you’ve always dreamed of playing the irreverent, sarcastic, shoot-from-the-hip space cowboy, it sounds like this may be your best chance.
The as-of-yet untitled Star Wars project is set to start shooting in January of 2017 and will target a May 25, 2018, release date. We’ll bring you more details as they become available.
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