Benicio Del Toro rumored for ‘Star Wars 8’ villain role

While fans have their eyes on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, news has broken that Benicio Del Toro will play the villain in subsequent chapter, Star Wars: Episode VIII. Deadline claims they’ve confirmed the news.

Benicio Del Toro’s Collector, a.k.a. Taneleer Tivan

“Sources confirm to Deadline that Benicio Del Toro has been in talks with Lucasfilm and has now been offered a role in Star Wars: Episode VIII as a new villain. No details were provided as to the nature of the role, but other name actors are said to have also been considered,” the site reports.

Force Awakens will have three confirmed villains: Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux, Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma, and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren. Fans are already clamoring over whether one or more perishes during the seventh Star Wars film.

Del Toro made a splash in the Marvel Universe with a role as Taneleer Tivan, aka The Collector, appearing at the end of Thor: The Dark World and in Guardians of the Galaxy.

While Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters on December 18, the new film will be directed by Rian Johnson (Looper) and arrive in theaters on May 26, 2017.

Since Guardians 2 opens just weeks earlier, on May 5, 2017, is may doubtful we see Del Toro in that Marvel film.