The Boba Fett-centric Star Wars 7 spin-off film expected in 2016 appears to have found its lead in the form of Temuera Morrison, who previously portrayed the bounty hunter's father in Attack of the Clones.
Morrison is listed as playing Fett on the IMDb page for 'Untitled Star Wars Project (2016)', which is thought to focus on the character thanks to the following leaked Star Wars schedule from toy manufacturer Hasbro:
2014: Rebels
2015: Episode VII
2016: Boba Fett
2017: Episode VIII
2018: Solo
2019: Episode IX
2020: Red Five
Morrison's New Zealand-based agent said he had nothing to confirm "at this stage".
Morrison played Boba Fett's father Jango Fett in the Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, then as a cloned soldier Commander Cody in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
He has also voiced the two Fetts in various Star Wars videogame spin-offs.
Metalocalypse director John Schnepp previously claimed that the spin-off is already in pre-production meanwhile, chancellor George Osbourne said that it will shoot at Pinewood Studios next year, and Godzilla director Gareth Edwards looks to be directing it.
Edwards said recently: "I am very, very lucky, living in a dream job at the moment. I'm not allowed to talk about it, it's all very secretive, but it's a dream come true. Star Wars is the reason I got into filmmaking, so to be given this opportunity is like a dream. Now the pressure is on."
He also discussed how story rather than visual effects will be key to its success, adding: "People could be innovative with computer graphics in the early '90s, but I think where we are right now is, we've reached that plateau where you can kind of do anything, and we have kind of done everything. So now, I hope, we are going to see people embracing strong stories, strong characters, as well as the spectacle. The honeymoon is over and it's much more about storytelling, and I think we'll create better films, hopefully."
Much to the annoyance of Fett fans, Disney is rumoured to be trying to turn the mercenary bounty hunter into a hero for the spin-off, and is struggling to make him fit within the conventional morality of Star Wars films.
The permanently helmeted character of Boba Fett supposedly died in the third film of the original trilogy, Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi, when he jetpacked his way into the mouth of a Sarlacc, a giant creature beneath the sands of the desert planet of Tatooine.