Update (11 January): Woody Harrelson has officially joined the cast of the young Han Solo film, Disney has announced.
"We couldn't be more excited to work with an artist with as much depth and range as Woody," said the film's directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller in a news release. "His ability to find both humor and pathos, often in the same role, is truly unique. He is also very good at ping pong."
Original story below:
Han Solo's first stand-alone outing will land in 2018, fleshing out the backstory of everybody's favorite scruffy-looking nerf herder as Rogue One did for the rebels who stole the Death Star plans. Disney and Lucasfilm are seeking a big name to play an early mentor to the young Han, and per The Hollywood Reporter, Woody Harrelson is in talks for the role.
Alden Ehrenreich is playing Han, alongside Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian and Emilia Clarke as an unnamed female lead. Disney's plan is to alternate new installments in the Force Awakens timeline (Episode VII, IX, and so on) with standalone movies on a yearly basis, so that you'll never have to go more than 365 days without a Force fix. And Harrelson could be the ideal person for the part. Consider his past roles: Post-zombie apocalypse mentor in Zombieland, dystopian battle to the death mentor in Hunger Games, bartender/mentor to a bunch of lovable drunks in Cheers.
The as-yet-untitled Han Solo film will hit cinemas on 25 May 2018.
