May the force be with Benicio Del Toro…
The 48-year-old Puerto Rican actor has been in talks with Lucasfilm and has now been offered a role in Star Wars: Episode VIII as a new villain, according to Deadline.
No details were released regarding the nature of the role, but other name actors are said to have also been considered.
Could this suggest possible spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens? That film has three confirmed villains: Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux, Gwendolyn Christie’s Captain Phasma, and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren. That’s a fairly packed slate of heavyweights. The Del Toro casting news makes one wonder if one of that trio doesn’t make it to the end of the movie.
Directed by Looper and Brick helmer Rian Johnson, the still-untitled eighth installment of the new Star Wars trilogy is set for release May 26, 2017.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters December 18.
Del Toro’s next film is Sicario for Lionsgate.