Han Solo dead: Harrison Ford not in Star Wars 8

You'll have to wait for the prequel to see the smuggler again

Whatever incredibly faint hopes some fans had that Han Solo would miraculously survive a lightsaber to the abdomen and plummet into an abyss appear to have been dashed by today’s production update.

StarWars.com announced that it is ‘welcoming back cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis’.

Harrison Ford’s name is noticeably absent.

This clears up the confusion that arose last year when producer Kathleen Kennedy said that all the actors on the stage behind her would be returning for the next instalment, with Ford front and centre. It also seems we won't be getting a funeral/flashback scenes involving Han.

The production update confirmed that principal photography has begun and that Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, and Kelly Marie Tran have joined the cast.

We even got a little snippet of filming (above), seeing new director Rian Johnson on the island where Rey meets Luke.