The former Doctor Who and The Crown star will reportedly play an integral part in the final chapter of the Skywalker saga, currently in production
The news has come courtesy of Variety, and absolutely nothing about how he will fit into the plot is known at this point.
It’s not even clear whether his part will be part of the evil empire or on the side of Rey et al on the Resistance.
The update comes after Dominic Monaghan was also revealed to be joining the cast, alongside fellow first-timers Keri Russell, Richard E. Grant and Naomi Ackie.
The team joins returning stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Wyong’o, Kelly Marie Tran and Anthony Daniels, with Mark Hamill also reprising Luke Skywalker one final time.
Billy Dee Williams is playing Lando Calrissian on-screen for the first time since the original trilogy, and Carrie Fisher’s Leia will be seen thanks to unused footage from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
What’s more, it has recently been claimed that Temmin ‘Snap’ Wexley, played by Greg Grunberg, will be seen too.
Grunberg appeared in The Force Awakens and now it seems Abrams is poised to call on him again for the as-yet-untitled adventure.
Plot details for Star Wars Episode 9 are, as expected, being kept extremely under wraps, but last week pictures emerged of Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Joonas Suotamo shooting scenes as Poe, Finn and Chewbacca respectively.
Filmed just outside of London, the sequence appeared to be quite a big one, with multiple extras also seen in between takes.
The principle cast was confirmed in late July, just days before filming began.
“We desperately loved Carrie Fisher Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us,” Abrams said at the time.
“We were never going to recast, or use a CG character.
“With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honour Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”
The film will be the concluding part of the sequel trilogy, and the ninth and final part of the Skywalker Saga.
Star Wars: Episode 9 is out in late 2019.