So we finally have our first confirmation of the Star Wars location shooting, but what about the cast? Here are the rumours to date
Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
The magnificent three from the original Star Wars: A New Hope are all expected to return for Episode 7. Fisher told TV Guide in an interview in January that the three would start filming in March or April, adding: "I'd like to wear my old [cinnamon buns] hairstyle again – but with white hair. I think that would be funny."
Adam Driver
The Girls star is widely rumoured to be playing a Darth Vader-like villain, a fact seemingly confirmed when his Girls co-star Lena Dunham tweeted: "We're VERY proud of Adam Driver re: Star Wars. He's about to rip a hole in da force." Though Dunham did swiftly backtrack: "I confirm nothing bc I know nothing bc I'm on a plane with my dad!" Oops.
Benedict Cumberbatch
The ubiquitous British star has also been linked with a villan's role, though he denied it at Oz Comic-Con earlier this month. But then he wasn't playing Khan in Star Trek: Into Darkness either, was he?
Gary Oldman
Slightly more than a rumour as Oldman admitted he's been "called" about a role, but we don't know what role, and "called" isn't "cast". He'd make a great Sith lord, played in the psychotic style of Leon's Norman Stansfield.
Peter Mayhew
The 7-foot-3-inch-tall British giant is widely expected to reprise his role as wookie Chewbacca, and recently cancelled a May 23-26 Comic-Con appearance in Texas “due to filming”. We hope the 70-year-old actor doesn’t have to film in the Abu Dhabi desert in that huge furry costume.
R2D2
Disney has actually confirmed that Luke Skywalker's trusty companion will be in the new film. The producers have hired British Star Wars fans Lee Towersey and Oliver Steeples to build a fully functioning R2D2. But if the unit is fully functioning, will the team need Kenny Baker to reprise his role inside the droid from the previous movies?
cnewbould@thenational.ae
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'
Rating: 3/5
Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro
Writers: Walter Mosley
Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
ILT20%20UAE%20stars
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EA%20Sports%20FC%2024
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20EA%20Vancouver%2C%20EA%20Romania%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20EA%20Sports%3Cbr%3EConsoles%3A%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20One%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
Bob%20Marley%3A%20One%20Love
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Reinaldo%20Marcus%20Green%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKingsley%20Ben-Adir%2C%20Lashana%20Lynch%2C%20James%20Norton%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A02%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Soldier F
“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.
“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.
“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”
Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets