Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Star Wars Han Solo spin-off: Which actor will play the young space smuggler?

We round-up some likely contenders

Chris Mandle,Daisy Wyatt
Wednesday 08 July 2015 11:57 BST
Comments
Harrison Ford will return as an older Han Solo in The Force Awakens
Harrison Ford will return as an older Han Solo in The Force Awakens (Disney)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Han Solo is to get his own stand-alone Star Wars film telling his back story - but who is the most likely candidate to play the young space smuggler?

It is not yet known how old the youthful Han will be, but bearing in mind Harrison Ford was 35 in the first Star Wars film in 1977, the actor will need to look a little younger.

Here are some possible contenders:

Miles Teller, 28

Not only does he resemble a young Ford, but he’s also got that cheeky, cocky vibe about him. As well as indie film Whiplash he’s done gritty boxing drama Bleed For This, showing he can play more physical roles as well. However, Star Wars bosses may not want to hire him due to his involvement in another massive global franchise, Fantastic Four.

Chris Pratt, 35

Image: Getty

Pratt may just be too old to play a convincing young Hans, especially if the spin-off film gets more sequels. He is the most obvious contender to carry off a convincing everyman hero without being too ruggedly handsome. But his character from Guardians of the Galaxy is almost a Han rip-off and he is already linked to a number of franchises.

Richard Madden, 29

Having already played Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, the Scottish actor is no stranger to action scenes. But his recent role as Prince Charming in Disney’s live action Cinderella film suggests his chiselled good looks may not be quite right for a young Hans.

Taron Egerton, 25

Image: Getty

British actor Egerton is still relatively unknown after impressing in Kingsman: The Secret Service earlier this year. He’s about the right age for a younger, cooler Han.

Grant Gustin, 25

He may be too clean-cut to play an off-the-books jerk but he’s charming, and can build on his success in US TV series The Flash to push him into a bigger, global role.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in