With filming already under way on Disney and LucasFilm’s latestStar Wars spin-off,Han Solo: A Star Wars Story, the cast continues to be filled out. Today we have word thatWestworldstarThandie Newtonhas entered negotiations to join the cast. As is the case with most of the recent casting additions, no details were given as to which characterThandie Newtonmay be playing, but her casting may hint at a recent character rumor.
Varietybroke the news on today’s casting, which comes just two days after the site broke the news thatFleabagstar/creatorPhoebe Waller-Bridgewill join the cast as a CGI character that is said to be quite important to the film. Unfortunately, the site has no details aboutThandie Newton’s character, but back in October, a report claimed that three actresses of color,Tessa Thompson(Thor: Ragnarok),Zoe Kravitz(Mad Max: Fury Road) andNaomi Scott(Power Rangers), were testing for thefemale lead. It was never confirmed if any of the actresses landed that role, butEmilia Clarkejoined the cast a month later, although it isn’t clear if she landed the role those other actresses were testing for.
There have been plenty of rumors that the role those three actresses were testing for was none other thatSana Solo, who is believed to be Han Solo’s first wife. Sana has never been seen in any of the movies, but she was created just a few years ago by writerJason Aaronand artistJohn Cassadayfor the Star Wars #4 comic book, which hit store shelves in 2015. Sana is a skilled pilot who may or may not be married to Han Solo. She had to get hitched to Solo in order to pull off a smuggling job, but one of the two took their nuptials a little more seriously than the other. In the more recent comics, this created a love triangle between Leia, Sana and and Han, as Sana made her return after the events of the original trilogy.
Given that the other actresses vying for the rumored Sana Solo role were in their mid-20s, it doesn’t seem likely that the 44-year-oldThandie Newtonhas landed this role, although she could be playing a relative of Sana, perhaps her mother or aunt. That has not been confirmed by any means, nor has Sana’s actual inclusion in the film, but it’s believed that the story will take place around the same time that Sana would have been married toHan Solo. It’s possible that her character has a connection toDonald Glover’s Lando Calrissian, but we won’t know for sure until the studio confirms her character. Regardless of who she’s playing,Thandie Newtonjoins a cast that is lead byAlden Ehrenreichas Han Solo, withWoody Harrelsonplaying Han’s mentor, Garris Shrike.
Phil LordandChris Millerare directingHan Solo: A Star Wars Storyfrom a script byLawrence KasdanandJon Kasdan, with Disney setting a July 28, 2025 release date. However, they have also been rumors that they may shiftHan Solo: A Star Wars StorytoChristmas 2018, but that has yet to be confirmed either.Thandie Newtonis coming off her critically-acclaimed performance as Maeve Millay in HBO’sWestworld, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination. She will next be seen in an untitledNash Edgertonfilm, alongsideCharlize Theron,Amanda SeyfriedandJoel Edgertonand she is currently filmingXavier Dolan’sThe Death and Life of John F. DonovanwithNatalie Portman,Jessica ChastainandBella Thorne.
