<p class="title">"Star Wars: Episode IX" is eyeing Keri Russell. Sources tell Variety, the 42-year-old actor may join the JJ Abrams directorial, which he is also writing.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The actor-director duo has earlier worked together in 2006's "Mission: Impossible III".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The role calls for action-heavy fight scenes. Russell has previously performed stunts in projects like FX's "The Americans", "Mission: Impossible" and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Abrams and Lucasfilm executives met several potential actors for the role in the last two months and decided that Russell was the right choice before the Fourth of July holiday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The director is likely to cast two more actors by the time the film begins production at the end of the month.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver are expected to return.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This is Abrams' return as director - he helmed "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015) and was asked to come back to direct the latest instalment after Colin Trevorrow exited following creative differences.</p>
<p class="title">"Star Wars: Episode IX" is eyeing Keri Russell. Sources tell Variety, the 42-year-old actor may join the JJ Abrams directorial, which he is also writing.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The actor-director duo has earlier worked together in 2006's "Mission: Impossible III".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The role calls for action-heavy fight scenes. Russell has previously performed stunts in projects like FX's "The Americans", "Mission: Impossible" and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Abrams and Lucasfilm executives met several potential actors for the role in the last two months and decided that Russell was the right choice before the Fourth of July holiday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The director is likely to cast two more actors by the time the film begins production at the end of the month.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver are expected to return.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This is Abrams' return as director - he helmed "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015) and was asked to come back to direct the latest instalment after Colin Trevorrow exited following creative differences.</p>