Fox Searchlight Pictures
Forest Whitaker would probably like us to forget that he was in Battlefield Earth. He has appeared in other sci-fi movies, including Species, but the 2000 John Travolta passion project is still Whitaker’s most famous movie in that genre. Until next year, when he’ll be seen as a member of the ensemble cast of Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One. Variety reports that he’s in negotiations for the part, details of which are unknown at this time.
He could be one of the team of rebels on a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star, or he could be baddie. Just so long as he’s not a dreadlocked alien. Sadly, it’s unlikely we’ll get to see the Ghost Dog star pull off any martial arts skills with a lightsaber, as we’re told this movie will not feature any Jedi.
It’s a big deal no matter the character, as Whitaker is an Academy Award winner yet he’s been stuck starring in mostly mediocre to terrible movies since his Oscar victory nearly a decade ago (mostly, not all). It’s a silly space blockbuster, sure, but in Rogue One he gets to work opposite other very talented people like Riz Ahmed, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn and Oscar nominee Felicity Jones.
Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) is directing , and it’s due out on December 16, 2016.
Variety also lets it be known that Whitaker, who this summer can be heard narrating Dope and co-starring in Southpaw, is in negotiations to join the cast of The Crow, too. For that remake, he’ll appear opposite Jack Huston as hero Eric “The Crow” Draven (Huston just left the movie) and Andrea Riseborough as the villain Top Dollar. Again, we have no clue what side he’s on, if either.
The Crow, which will be directed by Corin Hardy, is set to open sometime in 2016.
Related Topics: Star Wars
