Harrison Ford is handing over the controls of the Millennium Falcon to Alden Ehrenreich, according to unnamed sources cited by the Hollywood Reporter. The American actor is reportedly in final negotiations for the role of young Han Solo in an upcoming Star Wars spinoff.
Phil Lord and Chris Miller, of 21 Jump Street and Lego Movie, will direct the standalone film about the roguish captain, the Reporter says. It is part of a package of movies scheduled to be released over the next several years by the franchise’s new owner, Disney, which broke box office records with the most recent installment, The Force Awakens.
Ehrenreich may not be a household name yet — he could be soon — but he has a superlative filmography. His feature film debut was in Francis Ford Coppola’s Tetro. More recently, he shared the screen with George Clooney and Josh Brolin in the Coen brother’s latest movie, Hail, Caesar!
[THR]
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Mark Rivett-Carnac at mark.rivett-carnac@timeasia.com