Adam Driver To Go From Weird Boyfriend To Weird Sith Lord?

Reports say the Girls star is very close to becoming the new Star Wars bad guy.

I think we’re on the cusp of a tsunami of Star Wars news, as production on JJ Abrams’ Episode VII gets ready to begin this spring.  The latest word comes from Variety, who are reporting that Adam Driver, from HBO’s Girls and the incredible Inside Llewyn Davis is close to signing on as the villain of the movie, for a role “in the vein of” Darth Vader.

Apparently Driver has been up for the role for a while (possibly the same one previously rumored for Benedict Cumberbatch?), but talks had been delayed due to his commitment to Girls.  That suggests his character will be in the Star Wars universe for more than a single movie, and apparently Driver is Lucasfilm’s first pick for the role, which also considered Hugo Weaving and Michael Fassbender.

If this is true, I’m all for it– Driver is a badass on Girls, and it’s nice to see someone with such atypical looks up for roles like this and Nightwing in Batman vs. Superman.  I could see the wiry, intense actor conveying a formidable screen presence as a villain, and he’s not such a household name as to pull me out of the galaxy far, far away like Ewan McGregor.  Driver usually saddles up to decent projects… so maybe that’s a sign as to the quality of this sequel?

I’m sure we’ll hear a ton of Star Wars news shortly, with rumors and the first round of confirmations on casting, characters and more… in the meantime, I’ll remain cautiously optimistic for the future of Star Wars, and feel good thinking that at the very least actors I really like may end up landing big, fat paychecks to go play with lightsabers.

Source: Variety