Over the past year we’ve been tortured by rumour after rumour surrounding the casting of Disney and Lucasfilm’s eagerly-anticipated Star Wars: Episode VII. Just this week, it’s been alleged that Gary Oldman (RoboCop, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) and Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek Into Darkness) are set to venture to a galaxy far, far away, along with returning cast members Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Ian McDiarmid, and Warwick Davies.
So far, absolutely none of these rumours have been confirmed, but now we may have our very first addition to Episode VII, with Variety reporting that Girls star Adam Driver is close to signing on to play the villain, described as “in the vein” of the Dark Lord of the Sith himself, Darth Vader. It’s not the first time that Driver’s name has been brought up as a possibility for the film, with reports last month suggesting that Lucasfilm were speaking to him alongside Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave, X-Men: Days of Future Past) and Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, Captain America: The First Avenger). And it’s also the second high profile blockbuster sequel film that he’s been linked to in recent months, having been considered for the role of Lex Luthor in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel sequel Batman vs. Superman before Jesse Eisenberg’s casting.
So, nothing official, but this one looks like it could be on the money, and with filming due to get going in May ahead of a December 2015 release, official casting news must surely be on the horizon…
How do you feel about Adam Driver playing the villain in Star Wars: Episode VII? Let us know in the comments below or head on over to The Flickering Myth Forum…
Originally published February 26, 2014. Updated April 11, 2018.
