Alden Ehrenreich set to play Han Solo in Star Wars spin-off

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Alden Ehrenreich will play young Han Solo in the forthcoming Star Wars spin off film, due in cinemas in December 2018, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Hail Caesar star was believed to be on a shortlist that also included Kingsman: The Secret Service's Taron Egerton and Transformers: Age of Extinction's Jack Reynor. The industry publication claims that Ehreneich has won the three-way battle to take over the role from Harrison Ford and is now in final negotiations with producers having just wrapped shooting Iraqi war drama The Yellow Birds with Tye Sheridan and Jennifer Aniston. Star Wars producer Disney has so far declined to comment on the claims. — The National

Axl Rose to replace AC/DC lead singer

Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose will make his debut with AC/DC at a concert in Lisbon tonight, standing in for lead singer Brian Johnson on the veteran Australian rock band's world tour. AC/DC had to reschedule dates on the US leg of the Rock or Bust tour in March after Johnson, 68, was advised by doctors to stop touring "or risk total hearing loss". Rose was announced as a replacement a month later. Johnson, who has fronted the group since the 1980 death of original lead singer Bon Scott, has said he was "personally crushed" to give up the tour but vowed he was not retiring. "It's a horrible thing and the hope (is) that it gets better," Rose said in a video statement. "I'm not dancing around about this because it's not like ... OK somebody's said they're going to go do something else, it's because of an unfortunate circumstance and that's something I'm very aware of."– Reuters

Big B’s idol at Tussauds to be tweaked

Amitabh Bachchan's wax figure at Madame Tussauds will soon be tweaked and refurbished. Big B was the first Bollywood personality to enter Madame Tussauds in the form of a wax figure in 2000. The 73-year-old star took to his official blog to say: "Time spent with Madame Tussauds ... They are back with me here wanting to refurbish the statue in MT, and are taking great pains for measurement and photographs and matchings that need to be done." He added: "And yes, 'Could we please use some of your clothes that are not being used presently, shoes, shirts jackets, glasses'." – The National

Woody Allen is not a fan of technology

Woody Allen has admitted that he's something of a Luddite when it comes to modern technology. "I'm not good technically," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "I have a cell phone, but it's very limited. I know this: I can make calls, and my assistant put all my jazz records on it. It used to be when I would go out of town and I'd practice the clarinet, I was always schlepping a lot of vinyl recordings from city to city." He added that he has "never emailed anybody". – IANS

Terminal anxiety took a toll on Colton Haynes

Colton Haynes says "terminal anxiety" is what prompted him to take a break from television. The 27-year-old actor told Entertainment Weekly that he asked to step away from MTV's Teen Wolf and the CW's Arrow, on which he had a recurring role, because he cared more about his "mental and physical health" than his career. He says he checked into rehab for anxiety and was frequently in the hospital over the next three months. Haynes says he's happy and healthy now and open to a return to his Arrow role. – AP

Shashi Kapoor biography released

A biography of veteran actor Shashi Kapoor, unveiling details his personal and professional life, was released on Friday. The biography, Shashi Kapoor: The Householder, the Star, was written by film journalist Aseem Chhabra, and attempts to delve into the life of the 78-year-old actor. Sharing the news, filmmaker Karan Johar took to Twitter on Friday and posted: Shashi Kapoor: The Householder, The Star, written by Aseem Chabbra ... and forward by yours truly! It's out now." Kapoor, who received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2015, is known for his work in films such as Waqt, Deewar, Trishul and Utsav. – The National

Kardashians spotted in Cuba

The Kardashian clan are in Cuba to shoot scenes for Keeping up with the Kardashians. Kim Kardashian and husband Kanye West were spotted leaving a restaurant in Havana on Thursday. They are accompanied on the island by Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian and her friend Malika Haqq, who stars in the spin-off series Dash Dolls. Kim and Kanye's daughter, North, were pictured riding with her mother in a pink convertible. Former Cold War foes, the United States and Cuba formally agreed to restore diplomatic relations last July. – Reuters