Will Jesse Plemons be the lead in the upcoming "Star Wars: Episode VII?"
According to The Wrap, "Plemons has already taped an audition that was well-received by those involved in the casting process, and he'll be flying in to Los Angeles from Austin, Texas for a second audition that will bring him face-to-face with Abrams."
Even though the 25-year-old has starred in "Battleship," "Friday Night Lights" and "Breaking Bad," he is still not a major actor in Hollywood. If he does take on the lead role in "Star Wars," he would continue the franchise's recurring theme of placing relative unknowns in the lead role. Mark Hamill played Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy while Hayden Christensen took on the role of Anakin in the prequels; neither was well-known prior to taking on the lead role.
Both actors could also serve as a caution for Plemons as neither wound up being a major star despite being the main character in arguably the most popular franchise of all time. Hamill wound up doing voice work for most of his post-"Star Wars" career, while Christensen's reputation actually faltered after he took on the role of Anakin. He was seen as a promising talent after solid turns in such films as "Life as a House" and "Shattered Glass," but only managed to land roles in critically-panned movies such as "Jumper," "Awake" and "Takers."
There is no word what role Plemons would take on if he were picked for the role, but speculation hints at the possibility of him playing the son of one of major characters in the original trilogy.
"Star Wars: Episode VII" is reportedly slated for a December 2015 release date.