'Downton Abbey' star and 'Attack the Block' actor are in the shortlist along with previously-rumored Jesse Plemons and two theater actors.
- March 13, 2014
AceShowbiz -
There is still no word from Disney and J.J. Abrams regarding "Star Wars Episode 7", but the latest whisper suggests five actors have been shortlisted to play the male lead. According to Variety, the top candidates are Ed Speleers ("Downton Abbey"), John Boyega ("Attack the Block"), Jesse Plemons ("Breaking Bad"), and two theater actors Matthew James Thomas as well Ray Fisher.
The story is still unclear, but rumor suggests it will introduce a younger generation of Jedi. The original draft which allegedly focused on the new characters was written by Michael Arndt. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan then rewrote the story to put them in supporting roles first before giving them bigger portions later in the follow-up movies.
Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher are expected to reprise their roles as the classic "Star Wars" trio, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia, while Adam Driver is hotly tipped to play the new Darth Vader-esque villain. They will start filming later this year to meet the scheduled December 18, 2015 release date.
