The Hollywood Reporter dropped an article with quite a few names being bandied about for the new “Star Wars” film.
Michael Fassbender and Hugo Weaving are the two biggest names that are reported to have had meetings with JJ Abrams. And I can’t argue with those. I imagine their involvement would make a lot of fans happy.
Abrams has continued meeting with actors while the new script is taking shape. According to sources, he met with Fassbender in December.
While most names come with no identifying character, Hugo Weaving does. Weaving, according to two sources, met for a part to play an Imperial commander.
But that’s not all we’ve learned. It seems as though Jesse Plemons, from “Breaking Bad” and “Friday Night Lights” might also be up for a leading part in the film.
But that might not be the most surprising part of the piece. What caught me the most off guard was the reported reason for Michael Arndt’s departure from Episode VII. According to THR, Michael Arndt focused his version of the screenplay for Episode VII on the children of the Skywalkers and Solos, but Abrams wanted the classic characters to have their own proper adventure before a hand off occurs.
I can’t say as I disagree with that approach if it turns out to be true.
As far as the names mentioned above, I can’t argue with any of them. I want Michael Fassbender to be in just about anything. Weaving I could take or leave, but as an Imperial Officer I can’t argue with that notion whatsoever. Personally, I don’t know Plemons from Adam, but he comes from a source Abrams has used to solid effect in the past. “Super 8″–which was perfectly cast–recruited Kyle Chandler from “Friday Night Lights.”
Again, nothing is confirmed, and this story says these actors were merely taking meetings with Abrams and crew. And by all accounts everyone has been taking meetings trying to get in this movie.
As ever, these are just rumors. Don’t put too much stock in them until you hear them on the official Star Wars website.
And be sure to listen to the Full of Sith podcast for the latest deconstruction of rumors like these.