Matt Smith has been cast in the next
Star Wars film, according to reports.
The former
Doctor Who actor has been linked to Star Wars: Episode IX in a “key role”, US entertainment trade magazine Variety has claimed.
Production on the ninth film in the main Star Wars franchise, directed by JJ Abrams, is believed to have begun at Pinewood Studios in London earlier in August.
The cast includes returning actors Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver and John Boyega, and newcomers Keri Russell, Richard E Grant and Dominic Monaghan.
British actor Smith, 35, is best known for playing the 11th incarnation of Doctor Who’s Time Lord from 2010 until 2013.
He also portrayed Prince Philip in the first two seasons of lavish Netflix drama series The Crown.
Smith is nominated for a Primetime Emmy for his role as the Duke of Edinburgh.
Abrams, who directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, is returning to helm the final instalment of the latest trilogy, which is set for release in December 2019.
The Press Association has contacted representatives for Smith and the Star Wars films.