Benicio del Toro doesn't want to 'jinx' Star Wars role

The Oscar-winning actor is rumoured to be playing the lead villain in Star Wars Episode VIII.

"I know that Star Wars fans are hardcore and I'm very excited to be part of this great franchise," Del Toro told the BBC.

"I read the script and l can tell you it's a very good script."

Director Rian Johnson's as-yet-untitled sequel is due out in May 2017.

Del Toro, who is in London to promote his latest film Sicario, said he couldn't reveal much about the character he'd be playing.

"I haven't started it put it together. I'll build it with the director. I don't like to talk about things until they're done. I almost feel like you jinx it. Walk the walk and then talk the talk.

"But walk the walk first."

Del Toro appeared as the Collector in last year's Marvel movie Guardians of the Galaxy. In Sicario, he plays an enigmatic "consultant" on a an elite task force fighting a drug cartel on the US-Mexico border.

The first new Star Wars film to be released will be Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens - out in the UK on 17 December.