Fire up the Millennium Falcon: Star Wars has found its newest wise-cracking, blaster-wielding Han Solo in Alden Ehrenreich.

The 26-year-old actor, who most recently appeared in Hail, Caesar!, confirmed at yesterday's (July 17) panel discussion at the Star Wars Celebration Europe that he'll take on the role of the brash rebel for the unnamed, forthcoming standalone Han Solo feature. It was first rumored in May that he was lined up for the role.

"We thought this was the hardest casting challenge of all time. They were the biggest boots to fill," director Chris Miller said, according to Variety. "He’s a maverick, a scoundrel. He is clever but he’s not smart. He wants to present himself as this tough guy but he is lovable. He is one of the most iconic characters of all time."

That said, Ehrenreich was happy to jump through hoops to land the part.

"I read the sides and I loved them," he said. "I auditioned for six months. The coolest part was I went on the Falcon for a chemistry test with Chewbacca. It was unbelievable. It was more exciting than nerve-racking"

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first project in a new installment of the franchise, premiered in December 2015 and made $2.8 billion worldwide. Episode VIII will hit theaters in December 2017 and include new cast members Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran.

The Han Solo project will begin shooting in January or February in the United Kingdom and will premiere in May 2018. It'll follow the renegade Solo in the days before he meets Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker.

Think Ehrenreich will make a solid Han Solo? Sound off on his casting in the comments.

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