Someone has some big old boots to fill pretty soon, because Han Solo is getting his own movie! To be directed by frequent directorial duo Christopher Miller and Phil Lord (The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street) the film will chronicle the early years of a young Han Solo. If the film being in the assured hands of Miller and Lord wasn’t enough for you, Lawrence Kasdan, co-writer of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi has penned the script along with his padawan/son Jon Kasdan. In other words, this could possibly be described as the greatest news of all time (too enthusiastic?)!

With this being a film based on the young Han Solo, it does of course mean that the inconceivable will have to happen….Harrison Ford will not be playing the man, the myth, the legend that is Solo for the first time since the character’s debut in A New Hope in 1977. That is unless they X-Men 3 it and de-age him to avoid all potential (and inevitable) casting backlash….

No takers? Not surprising, just look how creepy Patrick Stewart looked in X3! No amount of CGI will hide the fact that Harrison Ford is in his 70s, so a new actor it is. But who has the attitude, charisma, wit, style, class, presence and charm (all in equal measures) to follow in his footsteps? In (the terrible) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull increasingly mental actor Shia LaBeouf was tapped to take up the iconic whip and fedora as the new Indy with zero success, so, erm, why…not…him….taking on Solo too?

Incidentally, my computer almost ground to a halt, seemingly in protest as I typed that suggestion…perhaps not then. The almost too obvious choice seems to be the man of the moment Chris Pratt and lets be honest, he would be great. The only problem is, the film’s about a young Han Solo, and he’s older than Ford was at the time A New Hope was released (Pratt is currently 36, Ford was 35). Not only this but he has already played a character with more than a few similarities to Solo under the guise of Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy, and will be a busy man with the Guardians sequel and any Jurassic World sequels which are more than likely on their way. Perhaps he should stick to stepping into Harrison Ford’s other big role – Indiana Jones – as has been repeatedly rumoured.

How about regular Christopher Miller and Phil Lord collaborator Channing Tatum? Again, he’s 35, so no younger than Ford was when starting out in the role, but he could pass for younger and is most certainly a charmer with a penchant for comedic roles. If we’re looking younger than this, how about X-Men: Days of Future Past’s Evan Peters (both witty and charismatic) or Divergent and Whiplash’s smarmy and energetic Miles Teller?

Perhaps it’s breakthrough star of the excellent Kingsman: The Secret Service Taron Egerton’s time to shine? If Kingsman showed us anything it’s that Egerton is leading man material. He’s certainly funny, he can handle action and has a brashness much like a young Harrison Ford that suggests that he could be be man to do the impossible and put his own stamp on one of cinema’s most well known and loved characters.

To whoever does end up getting the job, good luck, you’re going to need it. The casting director on this one is certainly going to have to earn their keep!

Who would your pick be to play the new Han Solo? The Han Solo Star Wars anthology movie will release May 25th, 2018.