Saoirse Ronan is the latest actress to be thrown into the Star Wars: Episode VII casting rumor mill, with Latino Review reporting that she recently went in to read for an unspecified role in this highly anticipated sequel.

The actress is said to have passed on the role of Wanda Maximoff (aka The Scarlet Witch) in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, which is also a Disney production. Speculation is that she turned down that role for a shot at Star Wars. It isn't known which Star Wars: Episode VII role the actress tested for, though it is being reported that there is a female villain in the movie. Whether or not she is up for that particular part has yet to be seen, and there are no further details on this character. Is she a Sith? Or did she go into read for the part of Han Solo's daughter?

The same story once again claims that Benedict Cumberbatch's denial about being cast as a Sith Lord in Star Wars: Episode VII is 100% false. He has actually been cast in the film, which will be a very small role, one that will expand to great importance in Star Wars: Episode VIII and Star Wars: Episode IX. Here is what was said about his supposed cover-up.

"DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE ABOUT Benedict Cumberbatch NOT BEING IN Star Wars. HE IS IN THE MOVIE! In fact, he will be in all three Star Wars films! It's all a smoke screen. Folks, remember when Cumberbatch denied being Khan for over a year? Same situation here. At least give us the benefit of the doubt hence why we are bringing this up. Point is, he lied before and he can lie again. Google it. One more time because it is worth repeating, Benedict Cumberbatch will be in the upcoming Star Wars movies. I don't care if he denies it till opening day. We were right before about him playing Khan, and we will be right again on this one. Technically, his part in Star Wars: Episode VII is very small but the role is much bigger in Star Wars: Episode VIII and Star Wars: Episode IX."

While these casting stories continue to weight on the side of rumor, Latino Review has more solid news on location shoots that are set to take place in The City of Crosses, Las Cruces, New Mexico. Very little will be shot in the city, as well as Los Angeles, while 90% of the production will take place in London when filming gets underway in 2014. Because of the mostly desert landscape, it is speculated that Las Cruces will either double for Tatooine, or it could be the setting for the Sith home world of Korriban. Check out some of the photos, which represent what some of the landscapes in Star Wars: Episode VIII will look like.

Las Cruces 1
Las Cruces 2
Las Cruces 3

Star Wars: Episode VII will take place thirty years after Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. J.J. Abrams will direct from a screenplay by Michael Arndt, writer of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Toy Story 3.

What are your thoughts on all of this? Just more rumors in the wind? Will it be exciting to see the Sith homeworld on the big screen?