Yesterday, StarWars.com announced new cast member Emilia Clarke to star in the "Han Solo" Film, a standalone adventure featuring a younger version of the eponymous character. StarWars.com said, "Clarke will join the upcoming untitled Han Solo "Star Wars" movie. Clarke’s role will round out a dynamic cast of characters that Han and Chewie will encounter on their adventures."
A breakout actress
The 30-year-old actress is known for her breakout role as Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO fantasy series "Game of Thrones", based on the bestselling series by author George R.
R. Martin. She received many award nominations for her role, winning several, and it elevated her to star in other big budget, mainstream films such as the sci-fi action "Terminator Genisys" and romantic drama "Me Before You". She has also appeared on stage in 2013's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" at the Cort Theatre in New York City.
The as-of-yet untitled 'Han Solo' film was announced by LucasFilm in 2015, which stated, "[the film] focuses on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley". Aside from Clarke, the project also has Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover attached, playing Han Solo and Lando Calrissian respectively and is set between the prequel Star Wars trilogy and the original trilogy.
A long line of spin-offs
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller will direct, who are both known for also directing the "Jump Street" action comedies with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, and 2014's "The Lego Movie" with Chris Pratt, and the script has been written by father-and-son duo Lawrence and Jon Kasdan. Filming is due to start in January 2017.
The Star Wars spin-off films "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story", the "Han Solo" film and a third unannounced film form a compendium trilogy to act as a breather between each one in the main series. "Rogue One" will hit cinemas on 15th December while the 'Han Solo' film is targeted for a release sometime in 2018.
