‘Game of Thrones’ star Emilia Clarke lands another franchise role

If there’s one thing we’ve certainly learned over time about Emilia Clarke, it is that she is someone completely unafraid of starring in big-time franchise roles. In addition to her claim to fame in “Game of Thrones,” she recently tried to help jump-start the “Terminator” franchise. It didn’t quite work out, but she had a key role in the project.

Now, we’re hearing that Clarke is going to be diving into the world of “Star Wars,” one of the few franchises out there that is bigger than either of the aforementioned properties. Sources confirm that she will be appearing in the upcoming young Han Solo movie that is chronicling his life before meeting Luke Skywalker in “A New Hope.” Alden Ehrenreich is going to be playing the main character, while “Community” and “Atlanta” star Donald Glover will be playing the part of a young Lando Calrissian.

This project is certainly ambitious, and we think that without a doubt there is a huge amount of potential here to make money. The largest question that we’ve got is if over time there will be “Star Wars” fatigue, given that “The Force Awakens” premiered last year, you’ve got “Rogue One” this year, and potentially more “Star Wars” movies coming on an annual basis, whether it be spin-offs or the main thread of the franchise.

Clarke likely will have some time opening up her schedule for this film in the coming months. “Game of Thrones” started production later this year than usual, but given that there is such a huge cast and only seven episodes to film for now, there should be plenty of time for her to balance both properties. She’s also far from the first cast member from this show to join another franchise: Both Peter Dinklage and Sophie Turner are both a part of the “X-Men” universe.

The new “Game of Thrones” season will air on HBO this coming summer; be sure to head over here if you’ve got an interest in getting some further news. (Photo: HBO.)