Gary Oldman Is In LucasFilm’s Crosshairs For Star Wars: Episode VII
From Fifth Element to seventh Star Wars?
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Star Wars: Episode VII has been the biggest news story in science fiction and entertainment since the film was first announced back in October 2012. The first film in a new Star Wars trilogy has captured the imaginations of many, many fans around the world. We’re all looking forward to hearing who will be cast in the new film series, but Disney and Lucasfilm are being closed-lipped about the casting process. There are, of course, countless rumors, and while promoting RoboCop, actor Gary Oldman revealed that Lucasfilm has been trying to persuade him to sign on for Episode VII.
While the 55-year-old British actor didn’t say whether or not he’d be in the movie, he did admit to taking a meeting with Lucasfilm. “They’ve called,” Oldman told Sky News (via CinemaBlend). “I’m more cynical about it now. I’ll believe it when I’m on the plane home. The deal isn’t done. But yeah they’ve inquired.”
Gary Oldman is no stranger to top-tier franchises. He has appeared in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, the Harry Potter film franchise, and now the Planet of the Apes reboot series. On a personal note, I feel Gary Oldman would be well suited for a role in Star Wars: Episode VII. He has the pedigree and talent to ground even the craziest movie worlds, so he’d fit in with the Star Wars universe extremely well.
On the sci-fi front, Oldman put in a memorably crazy appearance in Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element. Gary Oldman played the film’s villain, industrialist Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg. It’s unclear who exactly he would play in Episode VII, but there is a character description floating around for a “a 40-something military-type male,” who is also described as “a Matt Damon-type from Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium.” Could this be Gary Oldman’s potential role in Episode VII?
A few days ago, actor Zac Efron also confirmed that he had recently taken a meeting with Lucasfilm regarding Episode VII. While taking a meeting is far from being cast in the movie, it’s interesting to see how many different actors J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy are considering for the new film. Efron’s name joins many others who have been rumored for Episode VII, including Michael B. Jordan, Jesse Plemons, Daniel Day-Lewis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Jack O’Connell. Now that the film’s screenplay is finished and production scheduled to start this spring, it’s only a matter of time before we finally get some casting confirmations and learn what characters will be featured in Episode VII.
It is also rumored that the sequel trilogy will feature very similar stories and characters from the Star Wars Expanded Universe, such as Ben Skywalker, Luke’s son; and Jaina and Jacen Solo, Han Solo and Princess Leia’s twin daughter and son. Furthermore, fan-favorite Mara Jade (or at least some version of the Jedi Master) will reportedly be introduced in the animated series Star Wars: Rebels, and will then go on to appear in Episode VII.
Star Wars: Episode VII will hit theaters everywhere on December 18, 2015.
