Ever since the newest trilogy of Star Wars movies began their relentless, childhood re-ruining march into theaters, producers and directors have been doling out faceless cameos in the films to famous people as little treats, both for fans, and for celebrities who want to “be in Star Wars” without having to go the fully Jimmy Smits route and buy a fancy cape. Past recipients of said honor include Simon Pegg, Tom Hardy, Daniel Craig, Edgar Wright, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Carrie Fisher’s dog Gary, and Princes Henry and William, along with a whole host of others. We can now possibly add ginger crooner Ed Sheeran to that list, as he continues his one-man campaign to appear in all the shit you like, whether you want him to or not.
The Sun is reporting that Sheeran has now filmed a brief appearance in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Star Wars: Episode IX, and while this all feels a little hypothetical or gossip-y at the moment, it also sounds like something that totally would happen, right? The 5'6" Sheeran—who previously had one-episode stints on Game Of Thrones and The Simpsons—will reportedly play a stormtrooper, a fact that The Sun’s Dan Wootton notes without somehow making the requisite “Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?” gag as well.
We’re almost exactly a year out from the December 20, 2019 release date for Episode IX, at which point we’ll all get to spend our holidays contemplating why Ed Sheeran has somehow become the connective tissue running between the most popular franchises on the planet, while we’re stuck merely watching his auburn ascendancy from afar. So that’ll be fun!