Harrison Ford Says ‘Maybe’ to Star Wars Episode 7

Rumours have been zipping around like laser blasts since it was revealed last week that Lucasfilm is to be sold to Disney, and that we can reasonably expect up to three more Star Wars films to get chucked in our general direction in the not too distant future. The latest of these rumours (and we must stress that it is very much a rumour) is that actor Harrison Ford has made vague reference to the fact that he may well return to the role of iconic space-bum Han Solo.

Harrison Ford was once described by cartoon character Peter Griffin (from Seth MacFarland’s Family Guy) as “the only actor whose career isn’t destroyed” by Star Wars. True enough, Ford is pretty much the only person involved with the original Star Wars trilogy that hasn’t since disappeared from view, or made a bit of an idiot of themselves by writing a bunch of ill-conceived prequels. Therefore, it would make perfect economic sense for him to have a significant role in the sequel.

Entertainment Weekly claims to have had a chat with a ‘source close to Ford’, who in turn claims that:

“Harrison is open to the idea of doing the movie and is upbeat about it – all three of them are.”

“All three of them” being Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher (otherwise known as Luke and Leia). While Fisher has yet to make any comment at all on proceedings, Hamill has already edged his hat into the ring for a role in the sequel.

Famously, Ford is not a particularly big fan of Star Wars. He almost never turns out for reunions or conventions of any kind, and when he does actually discuss his involvement in the films, he seems generally befuddled by the whole affair. If he is interested in resurrecting Han Solo, the part that launched his career, then he (and sci-fi fans everywhere) will probably be breathing a quiet sigh of relief to know that series creator George Lucas will almost certainly not be writing any of the sequels.

Following the £2.5 billion sale of Lucasfilm, Lucas is to retain the title of ‘creative consultant’, and not much else. He had almost complete creative control over Star Wars films 1-3, and it didn’t do them much apparent good (they are generally considered to be execrable). Yet more rumours are flying about who will sign on to direct the seventh film, with Matthew Vaughn as the current front-runner – but, considering that the impending arrival of yet more Star Wars films is pretty much the cinematic equivalent of the Second Coming, we’re betting that a whole lot more rumours are going to be blasting our way before this thing is even half over.