Aquaman Star Is Joining Star Wars?
A new rumor has indicated that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is going to lead the Damon Lindelof Star Wars movie.
Aquaman‘s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is rumored to star in the upcoming Star Wars film. The untitled movie is set to take place after the events of 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, and stars black actors in the leading roles. The rumor has been reported by a write-up in CBR, which claims that a reliable source indicated Abdul-Mateen II as a possible lead.
This lede comes courtesy of Jeff Sneider, a popular film critic who claims to have insider knowledge of the upcoming Star Wars film, as indicated on his podcast Hot Mic. During a recent podcast appearance, Sneider connected the dots between Damon Lindelof and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, reminding his listeners that the two have recently worked together and had terrific chemistry. Lindelof, who is perhaps best known for creating hit television shows Lost and The Leftovers, cast Yahya in the leading role in his recent live-action Watchmen adaptation.
While very little is currently known about the cryptic Star Wars film, Sneider purports that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II fits the description for Lindelof’s dream lead. The criteria currently set in place to star in the upcoming film, which takes place in a galaxy far far away, is a black actor that’s done both film and television, has never been the top-billed lead in a feature film and recently collaborated with Lindelof on another project. The Aquaman Manta actor, who had significant roles in films such as Jordan Peele‘s Us and The Trial of the Chicago 7, fits the bill.
Though Lucasfilm has kept their casting under wraps at this point, Sneider’s points are certainly difficult to argue with. Star Wars famously made waves years ago by casting John Boyega in a leading role in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which was met by a chorus of backlash online, perhaps forcing the studio to minimize his role in the following two films. Given Damon Lindelof’s penchant for prodding controversy, this could be the exact headline-grabbing casting he needs to garner additional interest.
While news of Damon Lindelof’s Star Wars film has been revealed since October, we still have very limited information regarding the film, other than the fact that it will take place after the events of The Rise Of Skywalker, though not be a direct continuation of those events. Daisy Ridley, who starred as Rey in the J.J. Abrams trilogy, has stated that she would be on board to reprise her role, while Lindelof has expressed openness to incorporating characters from the previous films.
The film is also rumored to still be interviewing possible directors, with Ms. Marvel‘s Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy as the likely candidate. As news continues to develop with the upcoming Star Wars film, we may see a host of major talent from across both Marvel and DC cinematic universes combining to produce the best space-bound adventure we’ve seen in years. Damon Lindelof has a long history of success in screenwriting, with a science fiction flair that could be perfect for the Star Wars universe.
