Star Wars: The Force Awakens already has an outstanding cast, but the next Star Wars film, Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One might top it. The film has already cast Felicity Jones and possibly Ben Mendelsohn. Now Badass Digest reports that Nightcrawler actor Riz Ahmed is in talks to join the movie.

Last week at Star Wars Celebration, director Gareth Edwards confirmed that the movie was about a band of resistance fighters stealing the plans for the Death Star and took place between Episode III and Episode IV. There are no Jedi in the film and it will feel more along the lines of a war story.

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Image via IFC Films

Whether Ahmed signs on or not, it’s another great sign that the new films are keeping an eye on diversity, which is the way it should be. If the Star Wars galaxy is filled with a multitude of alien races, then the humans should be more than just white people.


Filming on Rogue One is set to begin soon, so we should expect some more casting news on the film in the near future. Hopefully, they’ll keep getting actors on par with Jones, Mendelsohn, and Ahmed.

Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One opens December 16, 2016.

[Update: The Wrap adds that The Hunger Games actor Sam Claflin is the frontrunner for a lead role in the film.]

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Image via Lionsgate