While a number of sites are breathlessly reporting that martial arts superstar Donnie Yen has signed on for a role in Star Wars: Episode VIII, it may be a good idea to temper those stories a little bit first. The rumor surfaced at Apple Daily, a Hong Kong tabloid site not known for breaking any legit news. But there are other elements that make more sense, and they involve the currently-filming spinoff, Rogue One.
According to Twitch, Gareth Edwards' anthology film Rogue One is seeking other Chinese actors for the film. Others on the list include the legendary Jet Li, Chang Chen, Stephen Chow, Tony Leung, Chiu Wai, Daniel Wu, and Wang Leehom. So we could be talking about a simple mix-up on Apple Daily's part, or some kind of cohesive thread between Rogue One and Episode VIII. That the source says Yen would be starring as a Jedi and sharing screen time with Harrison Ford is dubious since we don't even know if Han Solo will survive to the next chapter, or if the Jedi will be seen at all. They certainly won't be appearing in Rogue One.
Taken at face value, Yen would be a strong addition to the Star Wars universe. He's long been an international star and has risen to new heights of popularity thanks to the Ip Man movies. But he's never had that breakthrough here in America, despite being up for a role in The Expendables 2 at one time.
So consider all of this a rumor for now. Star Wars: Rogue One is in production now for release on December 16th 2016. Star Wars: Episode VIII will be directed by Rian Johnson and open in May 2017.
