After close to a year and a half of speculation, last month finally brought confirmation that Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher will return to their iconic roles from the original Star Wars trilogy in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming sequel Star Wars: Episode VII.
While Hamill and Fisher had pretty much confirmed their involvement from the very first moment Disney announced a new movie, Ford had held his cards much closer to his chest, which wasn’t much of a surprise given that he’s spent the best part of the past three decades distancing himself from the smuggler-turned-Rebel hero.
Well, according to Entertainment Weekly, it seems that Ford’s decision to return was secured by an early meeting with George Lucas prior to Lucasfilm’s sale to Disney, and that “Ford will join three of the young stars as one of the leads in the story”, as opposed to Hamill and Fisher, who will be limited to “strong supporting parts.”
So, if Han is to have a leading role in the film, does that mean Ford’s wish for a no-doubt heroic exit will finally come true?
Star Wars: Episode VII is set for release on December 18th 2015, with a cast that also includes returning stars Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) alongside Domhnall Gleeson (Dredd), John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Silent Witness), Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) and Max von Sydow (The Exorcist).
Originally published May 11, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
