Casting Star Wars Episode VII.

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

With the announcement today that Disney has purchased Lucasfilm and that they plan to continue the Star Wars saga with episodes VII, VIII and IX rolling out every two years, we thought we'd throw out some casting choices for the iconic lead roles... of characters not under a helmet or heavy prosthetics. Obviously at this point, we don't know how far after the events of Return of the Jedi that the new films will take place, or how big of a role, if any, that these characters will play in the new films. This is all just for fun.


Luke Skywalker - Anton Yelchin
Last played by Mark Hammill at age 32.

23-year-old Anton Yelchin is a tad young, but with a bit of bulking up he'd make a fine Jedi. He's also a bit of a veteran when it comes to taking over iconic roles -- Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation, Pavel Chekov in J.J. Abram's Star Trek. He knows what he would need to bring to the table in order to make the character his own, while still remaining faithful to what has been done before.


Han Solo - Garrett Hedlund
Last played by Harrison Ford at age 41.

We've previously toyed with the idea of 28-year-old Garrett Hedlund taking over the role of Han Solo in some kind of prequel film. He's proven that he can give a grounded performance in an effects heavy sci-fi film (Tron Legacy) while maintaining just the kind of swagger and likability that made Han Solo the galactic scum bag that you can't help but love.

Alternate Choices: Nathan Fillion, Chris Pine.


Princess Leia Organa - Mae Whitman
Last played by Carrie Fisher at age 27.

I haven't built the strongest case for 24-year-old Mae Whitman as Luke's twin sister Leia. Going purely on resemblance to Fisher, she has everyone else beat. But she probably wouldn't fair well as a believable love interest for Han Solo. When she's not stealing scenes on NBC's Parenthood, she's been repeatedly cast as the ex-girlfriend before or in the way of the main love interest -- Arrested Development, Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Alternate Choice: Anne Hathaway



Lando Calrissian - Chiwetel Ejiofor
Last played by Billy Dee Williams at age 46.

35-year-old Chiwetel Ejiofor is by far one of the finest actors working today. He could probably do an uncanny take on Lando in his sleep! His work as the menacing villain in Serenity and the flamboyant screw-up in American Gangster makes him perfectly believable as the kind of person who would pal around with as equally as shady and magnetic of a character like Han Solo.

Alternate Choice: Will Smith

Source: http://geektyrant.com/news/2012/10/30/casting-star-wars-episode-vii.html

[Master Rel]

Those are fair choices all around...should be interesting to see how it all pans out.

[Oramac]

Good choices, I think, except Leia.  I can't see Mae Whitman playing Leia, and I definitely can't see Anne Hathaway playing Leia. 

Personally, I'd cast Gina Carano as Leia.  I do like your choice for the others, though I'd be extremely tempted to switch the order for Han to put Nathan Fillion in the 1st spot.

[Master Rel]

Good choices, I think, except Leia.  I can't see Mae Whitman playing Leia, and I definitely can't see Anne Hathaway playing Leia.  

Personally, I'd cast Gina Carano as Leia.  I do like your choice for the others, though I'd be extremely tempted to switch the order for Han to put Nathan Fillion in the 1st spot.

Gino would make a great Jedi IMO...but Leia? Gino is 7"-8" taller then Carrie...she would be eye to eye with Luke and Han...did the force make her grow half a foot?

lol

[ThreadJack]

Definitely, if we're only going on resemblance, Mae Whitman gets it. Really these are all good choices, especially in the "character resemblance" category.

[Manroon]

The mere thought of Will Smith doing Lando Calrissian...... I don't think so for an actual movie, but my word, it would be parody gold.

[Oramac]

Gino would make a great Jedi IMO...but Leia? Gino is 7"-8" taller then Carrie...should would be eye to eye with Luke and Han...did the force make her grow half a foot?

lol

Yes it did!!!!   lol.   Honeslty, I don't think it'd make that much difference.  But if it did, cast Carano as Jaina Solo and someone else as Leia.  Just dear God please not Anne Hathaway.

[Master Rel]

Agreed...Anne can move to other projects.

 

[Oramac]

Agreed...Anne can move to other projects.

 

Fo sho.

I do want to point out that Carrie Fischer is only 5'1".   You'd be hard pressed to find a modern actress that could both pull off the role, and be that short.  Scarlett Johansen is the only one that comes to mind.

[Master Rel]

Fo sho.

I do want to point out that Carrie Fischer is only 5'1".   You'd be hard pressed to find a modern actress that could both pull off the role, and be that short.  Scarlett Johansen is the only one that comes to mind.

Mila Kunis is listed at 5'4" but I have seen her in person...she is 5'4" in 3" heels!



If this happens...OMG bring back the slave girl outfit!

lol

 

[Oramac]

Mila Kunis is listed at 5'4" but I have seen her in person...she is 5'4" in 3" heels!



If this happens...OMG bring back the slave girl outfit!

I'll second the slave girl costume!  Though I'm not sure Mila Kunis could pull off the role.  She's a great actress for sure, but I'm betting in Ep VII Leia is going to do at least a little bit of saber work.  I just can't see Kunis pulling that off as well as Johansson.  And both wouldn't do as good as Carano.

That being said, I think both would be more than acceptable for the part.

[ThreadJack]

I don't think height is really an issue. They have lots of ways of making people look taller/shorter on screen.

At 6'1" John Rhys-Davies was one of the taller cast members in the LOTR movies(playing a Dwarf) however you wouldn't know it by looking at shots of him with the other actors. And on that note, although the Hobbit's actors were significantly shorter than the rest of the cast(about half a foot, maybe more) they weren't THAT much shorter. They aren't as short as they appear on film.