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Mark Ruffalo Asked Rian Johnson for a 'Star Wars: Episode VIII' Role

by Ethan Anderton
September 11, 2014
Source: Collider

Production has resumed on Star Wars: Episode VII, but after some big leaks hit the web before the project went on hiatus for a few weeks, it seems the lid is even tighter on mystery box of the sci-fi sequel from director J.J. Abrams. So since we don't have any new stuff about Episode VII (besides some aerial photos of the Millennium Falcon and X-Wing making the rounds), it's never too early to start talking about Episode VIII. We already know that Looper director Rian Johnson is writing and directing the next installment of the new Star Wars trilogy, and one of his former stars is already lobbying for a part. Read on!

Mark Ruffalo worked with Rian Johnson on the spectacular film The Brothers Bloom, and he's such a huge Star Wars fan that he's already e-mailed the director about taking any role he can get his hands on in the film. Collider spoke to Ruffalo and he was asked if he wanted to be in a Star Wars movie:

"Desperately.  My e-mail to Rian after all these years was, 'Rian, congratulations on everything you’ve been doing.  And by the way, if there’s a part in Star Wars, please, anything, please consider considering me to join you.'"

Johnson actually responded to this story with this amusing tweet:

@colliderfrosty @MarkRuffalo I don't know, Mark… @garywhitta tells me he has you booked up for the next 8 years on his Columbo franchise?

— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) September 11, 2014

That's a reference to a big inside joke that's been unfolding on Twitter where Gary Whitta, who is writing a Star Wars spin-off for Godzilla director Gareth Edwards, wanted to get Ruffalo on board a big screen adaptation of the classic detective series "Columbo." But we're pretty sure that any role, excluding maybe anything he has to do as Hulk, would take a backseat to a role in Star Wars. Ruffalo even elaborated that he would even take some kind of motion-capture of CG character role:

"It’d be nice to have something. And honestly, even a CGI role.

I am thrilled about motion capture.  It’s been a journey for me to get there.  After this last Avengers and the work we’re doing with that, and the advancement of the technology even since the first Avengers, I’m so excited about where we can go with motion capture.  I hope that I’m on the front line of this kind of new frontier of creativity and performance that is completely boundless.  Definitely be interested in doing something like that for Star Wars."

Ruffalo is so hungry for a Star Wars role that he might be willing to take a role as an extra if scheduling permitted. Obviously, it's too early to even begin thinking about the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII, but there will undoubtedly be some new characters to introduce in the next chapter of the sci-fi saga, and it would be great to see Ruffalo reunite with Johnson on something the two are obviously passionate about.

Find more posts: Casting, Hype, Movie News, Star Wars

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