Photo: Universal Pictures

Chris Luckett

Disney may have definitively said nobody but Harrison Ford will ever play Indiana Jones, but Han Solo is no longer his alone.

Alden Ehrenreich will be donning the iconic vest and blaster in a standalone Star Wars film focussing on the famous nerf-herder before he became quite so scruffy-looking.

Ehrenreich beat out other shortlisted actors Miles Teller (Whiplash), Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service), Jack Reynor (Transformers: Age of Extinction), Ansel Elgort (Insurgent), Emory Cohen (Brooklyn), and Dave Franco (Neighbors) for the coveted role.

After small roles in Tetro and Stoker, Ehrenreich first caught people’s notice in 2013’s gothic flop Beautiful Creatures. Supporting roles in more prestigious pictures like Blue Jasmine followed, before he stole the entirety of the Coen Brothers’ Hail, Caesar! from his famous co-stars earlier this year with a devastatingly hilarious turn as a Western actor out of his comfort zone.

Disney is remaining mum as to what their new Han Solo picture will be about, besides focussing on the smuggler before he was drawn into the lives of Luke, Leia, and Obi-Wan in 1977’s Star Wars.

The Han Solo spinoff is written by father-son duo Jon and Lawrence Kasdan (the latter of whom wrote the screenplays for The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and The Force Awakens). It will be directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (22 Jump Street, The LEGO Movie, Clone High).

The prequel, currently without a title, is set for a May 2018 release.

(Source: The Hollywood Reporter)