Another A-lister is heading to the galaxy far, far away. Today brings word that the cast of Gareth Edwards’ anthology film Star Wars: Rogue One has expanded to include The Last King of Scotland Oscar winner Forest Whitaker.
Disney and Lucasfilm did not comment on the casting, which Variety confirms. Whitaker, who has boxing drama Southpaw out this summer with Jake Gyllenhaal, joins a cast that already includes Felicity Jones, Riz Ahmed, Diego Luna and Ben Mendelsohn.
No word on what role Whitaker will be playing, but the film focuses on a rogue group of rebel fighters (all rough-around-the-edges, antihero types) that attempts to steal blueprints to build the Death Star out from under the Empire’s nose during the “dark period” of Star Wars following the fall of the Jedi in Revenge of the Sith but before the construction of the Death Star in A New Hope. Rumor has it that Jones is playing a rebel fighter, while Ahmed and Luna are both also Alliance fighters, and Mendelsohn is the film’s main antagonist.
If a deal is signed, Whitaker will film Rogue One after tackling a role in The Crow remake this fall. It had not been previously reported that the actor was in talks for The Crow, so this is definitely news to us.
For those who don’t know, Corin Hardy is directing Relativity’s new adaptation of the Gothic vigilante actioner, which follows a rocker (Jack Huston) brought back to life by a mysterious crow. He proceeds to take vengeance on the thugs (led by Top Dollar, being played by Andrea Riseborough) who raped and murdered his love (Jessica Brown Findlay) and also murdered him.
Star Wars: Rogue One arrives on December 16, 2016.