Female Star Wars stormtroopers could be visiting your screen this year

The upcoming Star Wars sequel by JJ Abrams could see the introduction of a female storm trooper, in what would be a first for the classic trilogy and subsequent prequels of the famous movie franchise.

Lizo Mzimba, a BBC entertainment journalist, tweeted that British actress Amybeth Hargreaves had been cast as one of the soldiers in the imperial army. He also tweeted a link to the source of the information: movie casting website Spotlight.

A brief teaser released last year of “Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens” suggests the “evil Empire,” once dominated by the villain Darth Vader, is still a force to reckon with in the universe and is still in a struggle with the Rebel Alliance.
Episode VI tells the tale of the demise of the emperor and his henchman Vader.

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Vader commanded massive armies of stormtroopers, who all dressed in distinctive all-white body armor. The soldiers are all thought to be clones of one of science-fiction’s most memorable bounty hunters, Boba Fett. None appeared to be female.

According to the Telegraph newspaper, movie blog Indie Revolver had reported in September Abrams’s film would feature a “never-before-seen chrome stormtrooper.” The unit was part of an “elite guard” associated with the film’s main villain, the paper said.

Captain Phasma was rumored to be the name of the Stormtrooper and that Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie would play the role, the daily said.

Mzimba was among several commenters to suggest Hargreaves would be playing Christie’s stunt double, the paper said.

“Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens” is due to be released in cinemas in December 2015.