When it comes to the famous Han Solo, most Star Wars fans will always see Harrison Ford in the role. However, when it was reported that a new standalone Star Wars film would be made about the iconic Han Solo, fans quickly began placing their bets on who would fill the role. After much speculation, there were reports back in May that stated Alden Ehrenreich, who appeared in Blue Jasmine , Hail Caesar! , and Beautiful Creatures , would fill the role of Han Solo in the new films. Now, the news it’s official — Alden Ehrenreich is the new Han Solo.
According to E! News , it was revealed on Sunday at the Star Wars Celebration Europe event in London that 26-year-old Ehrenreich will be playing Solo in the new standalone prequel film centered around the character. Ehrenreich even made an appearance at the event when the announcement was made, alongside one of Star Wars’ newest stars, John Boyega, 24. The two discussed Star Wars VIII and the new Han Solo film at the celebration.
Alden Ehrenreich stops by to talk #HanSolo #SWCE pic.twitter.com/wsR8T6pYXs
— IMDb (@IMDb) July 17, 2016
“ You’re the new Han Solo !” Boyega told Alden, according to IMDb. “Damn!!!”
Boyega, who is a proud Star Wars fans, seems ecstatic about the news although previously he wasn’t too sure about the whole idea.
“You’re the new Han Solo! Damn!!!” https://t.co/2DcOP9QpQV pic.twitter.com/TBV55SKYRm
— E! UK & IRELAND (@EOnlineUK) July 17, 2016
“Is that real?” Boyega asked in an interview with Metro back in March. “They’re doing a Han Solo standalone film? I don’t know. I mean it’s strange for me to even imagine it. I mean I’m going to go see it whoever it is man, just know… I’m going to be honest man, I’m going to go with Harrison [Ford’s] reaction. Good luck, mate!”
Boyega was referring to Ford’s own response to the new Han Solo film back in December when he stated he was not involved nor responsible for the film.
“I’m sure whoever is responsible for that film, and I’m not, will think through the issues and problems of doing such a thing,” Ford told Reuters . “Let’s make them responsible for those questions you might think to ask me because I’m not involved.”
There was a lot of speculation and questions about who could possibly fill the iconic role when news of the Han Solo film came out last year. At the Star Wars Celebration Europe event, it was revealed that Ehrenreich beat out about 3,000 actors for the role of the young Han Solo, and he was the first to audition, according to IMDb.
New #HanSolo star Alden Ehrenreich was the first auditionee. Directors saw 3000 candidates after
— IMDb (@IMDb) July 17, 2016
According to E! News , other actors up for the role included Divergent stars Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, and Scott Eastwood, as well as Tom Felton ( Harry Potter ), Dave Franco ( Nerve ), Colton Haynes ( Arrow ), Rami Malek ( Mr. Robot ), Chandler Riggs ( The Walking Dead ), and Ed Westwick ( Gossip Girl ), to name a few.
Now that the role of Han Solo has been filled, Boyega does seem genuinely happy to have Ehrenreich join the Star Wars family.
“You’ve got the charm thing down,” Boyega said at the event, according to Entertainment Weekly . “Look at him, he’s smiling just like Han Solo.”
Boyega also gave some insight into what we can expect to see in Episode VIII . He assured the crowd that his character, Finn, who fans last saw in a coma at the end of Episode VII , does, in fact, wake up in time for Episode VIII .
“We thought about cutting back to him through the movie, still in the coma,” Episode VIII writer-director Rian Johnson joked.
Currently, there’s no title for Episode VIII , which is set to release in December 2017, or the Han Solo film, due out in 2018, but that hasn’t lessened fans’ excitement for the films in any way.
How do you feel about the new Han Solo casting? Let us know in the comments below.
[Photo by Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images]