Laura Dern and Benicio Del Toro have joined the cast of “Star Wars: Episode VIII,” Disney confirmed on Monday.
The studio also announced that newcomer Kelly Marie Tran will have an unspecified role in the latest installment of the space opera.
Dern scored Oscar nominations for her work in “Rambling Rose” and “Wild,” and effectively ducked velociraptors and T-Rexes in “Jurassic Park.” Upcoming projects include Jennifer Fox’s “The Tale” and Kelly Reichardt’s “Certain Women.”
Del Toro scored an Oscar playing a morally conflicted cop in “Traffic,” earned another nomination for “21 Grams” and headlined the likes of “Sicario” and “Savages.” He next reprises his role as the Collector in “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2.” An earlier Variety report said that Del Toro will play the villain role in the new “Star Wars.”
Principal photography on “Star Wars: Episode VIII” begins Monday at Pinewood Studios in London. The film hits theaters on Dec. 15, 2017, when it should mint money.
“Looper” director Rian Johnson wrote the screenplay and will replace “The Force Awakens'” J.J. Abrams behind the camera. Cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie and Andy Serkis will all return for the latest sequel.
Disney will destroy the Star Wars franchise. see it coming!
Classic hater, just a dumb lamb following the internet trolls. Star Wars wasn’t destroyed by three terrible movies, the great last one just reinvigorate it
Oh Boy..here we go a couple of old people who look like their skin wrinkled like Sharpei’s. Disney involved with Star Wars seems to not be a great idea after all.
Oh boy, here we go, just a dumb troll who doesn’t respect talent and has tons of bad taste. Jeff it seems that you writing in this forum is not a great idea after all.
good boy, good role, good film -Traffic(Benicio Del Toro)
Who cares. Star wars became chick wars and its all about little cute white women runnin around with their minority slave help. Its over. Disney you ruined star wars. Fool people once…. Next star wars is going to flop. Nobody wants another white girl lead with a internationally acceptable brittish accent who runs around playing jedi. Booooo!!!!
chick?, minority slave?, not a inventive hater, just a dumb lamb following the internet trolls. Please refrain from unfounded hate here
I’m pretty certain he confirmed he wouldn’t be in Guardians 2, prompting many to theorize he’ll pop up in Thor 3