If a report from earlier this week is to be believed, Disney and LucasFilm will be casting the title character in Star Wars Anthology: Han Solo within the next few weeks. The report claims that there are roughly a dozen young actors still in the running to play Han Solo, including Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco, Jack Reynor, Scott Eastwood, Logan Lerman, Emory Cohen and Blake Jenner. Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams was recently asked by Variety if he has any advice for the young actor who will take on this iconic role. Here's what he had to say, which may surprise you.

"Watch Raiders of the Lost Ark. It'll all be right there."

It's interesting that J.J. Abrams would pick Harrison Ford's other franchise for these young actors to study, instead of the original Star Wars trilogy. All we know about the Han Solo spinoff so far is that the story is set 10 years before Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, and the story will show how he became the the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel that Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first meet at the Mos Eisley Cantina. While it would certainly be a good idea to revisit the original trilogy, studying Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones could be sound advice as well, as Indy and Han certainly do share some of the same traits.

We also reported this week that the reason Disney and LucasFilm are casting for Han Solo so soon is because whoever lands the role may have a brief cameo appearance in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the first Star Wars spinoff which will hit theaters this December. There is still a month left of filming on Rogue One, and this rumor claims that the studio may introduce this younger version of Han Solo in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, before the character gets his own spinoff. Both movies are set in the same time frame, between Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller are directing Star Wars Anthology: Han Solo from a script by Lawrence Kasdan (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and his son Jon Kasdan (In the Land of Women). The May 25, 2018 release date will mark exactly the 41st Anniversary of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope's release on May 25, 1977. Production on Star Wars Anthology: Han Solo won't take place until next January.

J.J. Abrams also told the site that he wasn't aware of the casting shortlist, and that he is not involved in Star Wars Anthology: Han Solo. Do you think the director's advice to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark in preparation to play Han Solo is sound? Chime in with your thoughts, and stay tuned for more on Star Wars Anthology: Han Solo.