Between now and the start of production in early 2014 we are bound to hear an endless number of rumors regarding the actors who will be joining the cast of the highly-anticipated Star Wars Episode VII. And today a brand new rumor has introduced into the universe. According to Latino-Review's sources, Disney and J.J. Abrams are currently looking at both Ryan Gosling and Zac Efron for roles in the 2015 blockbuster. While the source apparently didn't have any information about the character that Gosling could play, they say that Efron is being considered for the role of Luke Skywalker's son.
Looking at the character descriptions that came out back in June, there are a couple possible matches for the Drive star. The first, "Forty something male, fit, military type," would require that Gosling be aged up a bit, but it's not hard to imagine him as strict officer. The other possibility is "Thirtysomething male, intellectual. Apparently doesn’t need to be fit," which isn't really specific enough to be pinned as perfect for the actor.
Ever since Disney took over LucasFilm and announced that they would be making another sequel many have wondered how their presence would be felt in the universe, and if there's any truth in this rumor it may become a bit of a punchline. After all, not only was Efron the star of High School Musical, Gosling got his start as a Mouseketeer.
That said, both actors have been taking on some very mature roles as of late. Efron recently wrapped production on the R-rated comedy Townies, in which he will go head-to-head with Seth Rogen as a hard-drinking, prank pulling frat boy; while Gosling can currently be seen in theaters in Nicolas Winding Refn's hyper-violent Only God Forgives.
While rumors continue to bounce around, we will definitely be getting some actual official news about the sequel next month. Disney didn't have a Star Wars presence at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, but that won't be the case for next month's D23, the bi-annual convention for Disney fans. Earlier this month the studio confirmed that the movie would be part of their showcase, and it's been rumored that the film will bring out some of the film's stars - specifically Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford. But who knows what other surprises they could have in store. Not only may they bring out a few actors, we might also get a title, a release date and maybe even a brief description of what Michael Ardnt's script is about. I'll be on the ground in Anaheim covering the event, so look forward to some more news come the weekend of August 9th.
How do you feel about these rumors? Do you think that Gosling and Efron would make good additions to the Star Wars cast? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
