Sam Claflin eyed for Star Wars spin-off movie

The Hunger Games actor Sam Claflin has reportedly emerged as a frontrunner to star in the forthcoming Star Wars spin-off film, Rogue One.

The Theory of Everything actress Felicity Jones will lead the cast in the sci-fi action adventure, and now Claflin is being eyed to join the project, according to TheWrap.com.

Fellow British actor Riz Ahmed, who recently featured in Nightcrawler, is also in talks to join Jones and Ben Mendelsohn in Star Wars: Rogue One, which will be directed by Gareth Edwards.

Disney executives have declined to comment on the casting news.

The movie, the first in a series of films that will explore the characters and events beyond the Star Wars saga, will begin shooting in London this summer (15), ahead of a December, 2016 release.