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Han Solo Standalone Movie Cast Shortlist Revealed

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 06:01 PST, Jan 16, 2016

Han Solo is one of the original characters from Star Wars and is, perhaps, the character most loved by fans.

SPOILER ALERT

Fans were possibly surprised, and likely saddened to see Han Solo meet his end in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Now, it appears Han Solo might be getting a standalone movie, but it would feature a young Han Solo. Entertainment Weekly reports that the idea for a standalone Han Solo movie, featuring a young Han Solo, is in the works.

Of course, this raises the question of what the movie would be about. Fans know very little about the past of this charismatic, egotistical, hero-who-never-meant-to-be-a-hero. Was he always so arrogant and cocky? Did he come from a well-to-do family or was he born into a life of smuggling? According to io9, the movie is already in the planning stages and due to start production early next year.

The other, perhaps bigger, question is who will play the part of Han Solo in the movie. There are apparently some actors who have been short-listed for the role. Variety reports that these actors include Miles Teller from Whiplash, Ansel Elgort from Fault in Our Stars, Dave Franco from Neighbors, Scott Eastwood from Suicide Squad, Jack Reynor from Transformers 4, Blake Jenner from Glee, Emory Cohen from Brooklyn, and Logan Lerman from Percy Jackson.

That’s quite a list. And considering Harrison Ford was in his 30s when he first played Han Solo, these young actors will be at a good age to tell Han Solo’s story before he appeared in the first Star Wars movies.

And, who’s to say the actor playing Han Solo needs to be male?

However, there are some who don’t agree with the concept of a young Han Solo movie. The Atlantic writes about how the idea of casting someone else in the role of young Han Solo has brought about an outcry from fans. Whether the storyline is Han Solo acquiring the Millennium Falcon or going on his famous Kessel Run, this is something that is a setup for a big letdown. The Star Wars franchise doesn’t even need the young Han Solo because there is a whole new generation of characters to love and root for.

“The most depressing thing is that Star Wars doesn’t need any of this. By 2018, Episode VIII will have been released and a whole other generation will be firmly invested in the series’s new characters. Where will the appetite for a young Han Solo be? Older viewers raised on Harrison Ford will be predisposed to cynicism. Younger viewers will be waiting for the return of Finn and Rey.”

Han Solo was a rebel, a smuggler, and later on, a father. He may have mellowed slightly over the years, as perhaps anyone would, which is evident in the newest movie. Perhaps fatherhood changed him. When it comes to Han Solo and fatherhood, Time reports that there have been a number of bad father Han Solo parodies that have come out on Twitter recently, all of which are humorous and keep Harrison Ford as Han Solo. Check out some of these tweets.

No matter how the Star Wars franchise continues with additional movies, there will be plenty of people who will flock to the theaters to see them. There is already a standalone movie called Star Wars: Rogue One that is due out in theaters this year. Variety reports that there is even speculation that the young Han Solo will appear in this movie. The rumor is that whoever is chosen to play the young Han Solo will have a cameo in Rogue One. Fans will just have to wait until the movie comes out on December 16 to find out.

[Composite image containing photos by Clemens Bilan, Jason Kempin, Alberto E. Rodriguez, Jason Merritt, Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images]

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