The first stand-alone Star Wars movie, Rogue One, arrives in theaters later this year, but casting is already underway on the second spinoff film in the works from Walt Disney Studios and Lucasfilm.
According to a new, unofficial report, the makers of the still-untitled Han Solo movie starring Alden Ehrenreich as a younger version of the famous smuggler have narrowed their list of contenders for the female lead to three actresses.
Variety reports that the studio and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street) are taking their time in the casting process, but a decision is expected soon on who will play the film’s female lead.
The contenders for the role — a character that hasn’t been identified yet — reportedly include Selma and Creed actress Tessa Thompson (pictured), Power Rangers and Terra Nova actress Naomi Scott, and X-Men: First Class and Mad Max: Fury Road actress Zoe Kravitz. All three actresses are reported to have read for the role in London this week.
The outlet also reports that Community and Atlanta actor Donald Glover remains the front-runner to portray a young Lando Calrissian in the movie.
The identity of the female lead character in the film remains a mystery, but popular speculation suggests she could be Sana Starros, a character introduced in the current Star Wars comic book series published by Marvel Comics. In the series, Sana is a fellow smuggler who has crossed paths with Han Solo on various occasions and has a strong, negative opinion of him.
Directed by Miller and Lord from a screenplay penned by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan, the Han solo movie will also feature his famous co-pilot and partner, Chewbacca, and is expected to shed some light on how the pair first met.
The still-untitled film is currently scheduled to hit theaters May 25, 2018.