Rogue One is a critical success for Disney's Star Wars franchise; and as the first of several planned spin-offs, its success bodes well for the future of the franchise. The next spin-off after Rogue One is the untitled Han Solo film, which is set to be released in the summer of 2018.
As we've come to expect from the Star Wars movies, the team behind the Han Solo movie have given very little away. We do, however, know the main three cast members: Alden Ehrenreich as Solo himself, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, and Game of Thrones's Emilia Clarke in an undisclosed role.
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We also know that the film will follow a younger Han Solo before the events of A New Hope. What it will go into specifically, however, is yet to be revealed. While Han and Lando are the only characters confirmed thus far, there is one familiar face from the #StarWars franchise we might see in the film (besides Chewbacca):
Could Jyn Erso Play A Role In The Film?
Rogue One follows the story of #JynErso, who joins the rebel alliance to help destroy the massive weapon her father helped create. Jyn was not a rebel her entire life, though. The film opens when she is rescued by Saw Gerrera, the rebel extremist played by Forest Whitaker. When we see Jyn again about 15 years later; however, we find she has parted ways the Rebel alliance.
Even so, she is locked up in an Imperial prison. If she was not a Rebel, however, why was she locked up? When she's rescued by the Rebellion in Rogue One, we here a sample of the charges against her:
Forgery of Imperial documents; possession of stolen property; aggravated assault; resisting arrest.
It's a pretty impressive list of offences, albeit an ambiguous one. Whilst racking up her rap sheet, could Jyn have crossed paths with a certain notorious smuggler?
Even before #HanSolo joined the Rebel Alliance, he was not in good standing with the law. The same goes for Jyn Erso. Perhaps the two of them could have been working together before the events of Rogue One; possession of stolen property certainly sounds like Solo's M.O.!
While this may seem a stretch, there is one piece of information that really ties this theory together:
Felicity Jones Is Under A Two Picture Contract
When Felicity Jones (the actress who plays Jyn Erso) signed a deal with Disney and Lucasfilm to appear in their space opera franchise, she signed on to appear in two different films. Rogue One was the first but if you've watched the film, you'll know that the plot doesn't leave much room for a sequel starring the original cast.
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With no possibility of a sequel to Rogue One in sight, could the Han Solo be the supposed second film in Jones's contract? Considering that the Han Solo movie will take place before the events of Rogue One, when Jyn was not a rebel, this theory becomes a legitimate possibility. Perhaps the Han Solo spin-off could reveal why Jyn was in a prison towards the beginning of Rogue One, having been stabbed in the back by the smart-ass smuggler we all fell for in the Original Trilogy.
While nothing is set in stone, the time frame, Jones's contract, and Jyn's character traits all hint that Jyn Erso could be playing a role in the Han Solo spin-off. Whether this is a supporting role or a minor role remains to be seen, but seeing Jyn show up is suddenly a large possibility. Even if it's just a quick cameo, I would love to see the Rogue One star show up again in the future.
What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments, and thanks for reading!