Disney Narrows List For Young Han Solo Spin Off

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A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY (CBSMiami) -- Disney and Lucasfilm are close to casting an actor to play legendary Star Wars scoundrel Han Solo in an upcoming spinoff movie.

The film is expected to be the first in an anthology starring a younger Han Solo, who was originally made famous by Harrison Ford in 1977's Star Wars: A New Hope. The new movie is being described as an origin story that includes wookiee sidekick Chewbacca.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, three guys are in the running to land the role: Taron Egerton, who stars in The Kingsman and Eddie the Eagle; Jack Reynor, from Transformers: Age of Extinction and Macbeth; and Alden Ehrenreich of Hail, Caesar! and Blue Jasmine.

Sources say a few other names have been mixed in, as well, including Whiplash star Miles Teller and Ansel Elgort, from The Fault in Our Stars.

The Solo spinoff will be directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord and is being penned by Empire Strikes Back writer Lawrence Kasdan and his son, Jon Kasdan.

The film is due out in 2018.