Star Wars Episode VII casting: Harrison Ford may have big role

Star Wars Episode VII casting has been largely secret during pre-production, but it won't be long before we learn who is starring in the next film.

Walt Disney Pictures, Lucasfilm, and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions have managed to keep a lid on many a secret concerning Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII throughout pre-production; now that second unit filming is underway – with principal photography gearing up to begin in London – it won’t be long before we learn which (if any) of the casting rumors that’ve sprung up around the project over the past year are true… and which ones are utterly false.

It’s safe to assume that – as has long been all-but officially acknowledged – original Star Wars trilogy cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford are returning for Episode VII, seeing how they’ve been spotted in London over the past week. Meanwhile, earlier today, we posted an update from actor Zac Efron, who avoided ruling out the possibility that he could indeed be headed to the Star Wars universe.

The latest report from Deadline, however, makes no mention of Efron; instead, the site indicates that lauded character actor Oscar Isaac – who headlined the Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis last year – is apparently up for a “major role” inEpisode VII. Additionally, previously-reported candidates like Adam Driver (Girls), young British actor John Boyega (Attack the Block), and British theater alum Maisie Richardson-Sellers may still be front-runners for important roles in the film, judging by the latest Deadline update (which are generally pretty reliable).

As mentioned before, nothing is official yet – though, the potential Episode VII cast outlined above is quite strong; besides having its fair share of critically-acclaimed up and comers, the collection of names listed here is relatively diverse (in keeping with Abrams’ desire) – by modern Hollywood tentpole standards, anyway. Now, we just have to wait and see which – again, if any -of these younger people are actually going to be sharing the screen with the older versions of Luke, Leia, and Han Solo.

Speaking of Han – the Deadline report also claims that Ford has a “gigantic role” inEpisode VII; he’s still the biggest-name star of the original Star Wars trilogy cast trio and has perhaps remained the most active over the years, as far as live-action acting is concerned. Based on that and the ongoing possibility that Indiana Jones 5 could happen down the line (with Ford reprising as the eponymous archaeologist), this rumor doesn’t sound altogether unreasonable.

Star Wars: Episode VII opens in U.S. theaters on December 18th, 2015.