Meet the 8 on-the-rise actors who have been shortlisted to be the next Han Solo

Getting cast in a "Star Wars" movie will change your life. And for this handful of actors, it could easily happen soon.

While it might not pay a lot, the role brings international fame. There will also no doubt be an action figure for the new star.

Earlier this year, Disney announced that it's planning a standalone "Star Wars" prequel focused on Han Solo. It will be directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller ("The Lego Movie") and open in theaters in 2018.

As soon as it was announced, people speculated who, if anybody, could possibly replace Harrison Ford as the bounty hunter.

According to Variety, the original list of 2,500 actors who reportedly auditioned to play young Solo has now been narrowed down to just a dozen actors. Eight of the names from that short list are now known.

This franchise made stars out of Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. "The Force Awakens" has done the same for John Boyega and Daisy Ridley.

Here are eight actors who could end up playing the young Han Solo - and what you need to know about them: