Adam Driver: Will he star as the villain in 'Star Wars: Episode VII'?

Adam Driver may star as the villain of the newest 'Star Wars' film, according to reports. Adam Driver currently appears on the HBO show 'Girls.'

Lucasfilm’s first production under the umbrella of Disney begins shooting this summer, and while rumors about story, characters and talent have dominated headlines since the moment Star Wars: Episode VII became official, the floodgates are about to open with real details about who will star in the next adventure in a galaxy far, far away.

Just yesterday we reported on a rumor that had Gary Oldman and Benedict Cumberbatch seemingly locked in for parts, along with Jack Reynor (Transformers: Age of Extinction), adding credence to a report two weeks earlier which had Star Wars 7 mostly cast already. And today, the trades have another name set for a key role in what may be one of the most anticipated and challenging film productions of all-time.

Variety has the scoop that Adam Driver, star of HBO’s Girls, is just about to lock down his deal with Lucasfilm for a lead role in Star Wars: Episode 7 and its followups. He’ll reportedly be playing the key villain of the film and the inside details compare the character he’s up for to Darth Vader. We don’t expect a breathing apparatus or a robot-enhanced voice – we’ve had enough of those after General Grievous -  but we wouldn’t be surprised if he’s of Sith origin.

The Emmy-nominated Driver, 30 years young, has kept busy in Hollywood over the last three years with over a dozen supporting and guest parts in major features including Inside Llewyn Davis, The F Word and Lincoln and is a relative newcomer in the industry. His name isn’t new to headlines on Screen Rant though, having been rumored for the part of Nightwing in Batman vs. Superman, a potential role he flat out denied. Now we know why. Apparently, the only obstacle for Adam Driver joining the super-massive-career-defining franchise was his scheduling commitment not just to the next season of Girls, but future seasons, indicating that Driver’s villainous character is going to be around at least for Star Wars 7-9.

While not yet official, Driver may be one of the first confirmed new castings for director J.J. Abrams’ take on Star Wars. That being said, not even the “big three” of Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill have been officially announced to return yet so Disney may be saving such news until a certain event or until they lock down most of the principal cast.

What do you think – Adam Driver with a red lightsaber or Adam Driver with blue skin as Thrawn? Or neither?

Rob Keyes blogs at Screen Rant.