Midsommar Star Jack Reynor Addresses Losing the Han Solo Role

In the history of sci-fi cinema, few roles are as beloved with audiences than Harrison Ford’s portrayal of Han Solo in the Star Wars series. Following the announcement that Lucasfilm would be developing a film focusing on the character’s younger days, fans immediately began to speculate about what young actor could take on the role for Solo: A Star Wars Story, with Alden Ehrenreich ultimately snagging the part. Actor Jack Reynor is currently starring in Midsommar and, during a recent interview, looked back at the process of potentially becoming the beloved smuggler and the other role he auditioned for in the series.

“It was interesting, and I think it would’ve been exciting to do the Han Solo movie,” Reynor shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “Who wouldn’t have wanted to play that character? Ultimately, it wasn’t to be for me, but I did watch the film and not only did Alden Ehrenreich do a really great job, it was my favorite of all the Star Wars movies that have come out recently.”

Prior to being eyed for Solo, Reynor was auditioning for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, though he recalled that the process was so mysterious that he doesn’t remember what role he was ultimately vying for.

“I have no idea to be honest with you, but I get the sense that I wasn’t,” the actor replied when asked if he was auditioning for Poe Dameron. “I don’t want to go into it too much because I don’t know what kind of trouble I could get into; obviously, Star Wars is a big institution. It’s also long enough ago now that I can’t really remember what the sides were, but it was very exciting to be considered for Episode VII. It was a long process, obviously, and I met with [director] J.J. [Abrams] a couple of times on it. It was an exciting time, and then, of course, I was considered for the Han Solo movie, too. Again, that was a long process. For each of those films, the casting process went on for a good nine months.”

Ehrenreich previously revealed that he signed on to appear in a total of three movies, yet the financial disappointment of Solo makes a follow-up film seem unlikely. Reynor admitted that, even knowing that the film might have suffered setbacks, he “absolutely” would have still taken the role.

“If you’re an actor in this day and age and you’re only driven by the bottom line — a film’s critical reception and its box office success — you’re not going to have a particularly fulfilling career,” Reynor revealed. “There’s so much to be gained from the experience of making a film — working with people, the community you can develop, the travel. There’s a world out there to be seen, and sometimes, these films bring you to places you never would’ve been before.”

He added, “That is really what drives my decisions in the roles I take, sometimes. It might shoot somewhere amazing that I’ve never been; it’s just a new and unique experience to be had. All of that stuff builds up and becomes part of your reservoir of experiences to draw on as an actor. If it had worked out and I got the film, I would’ve done it, 100 percent, even knowing how it was received.”

Fans can currently see Reynor in Midsommar, in theaters now. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker lands in theaters on December 20th.

Would you have like to have seen Reynor as Han Solo? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!