Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks wanted to play a Stormtrooper in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Hanks has been a frequent collaborator of Ron Howard's over the years. But, he was unable to land a cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story, directed by Howard. 

"Tom Hanks was interested in being a Stormtrooper. It would've been great. He was shooting and just couldn't get there. But now that Lucasfilm knows that Hanks is interested, I'm sure they'll work it out someday," says Howard. 

Hanks is known for films like Saving Private Ryan, You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, The Terminal, Catch Me If You Can and The Circle. 

Solo: A Star Wars Story, tells the story of how Han Solo met his future copilot Chewbacca before the events in the original 1977 Star Wars. The film is the second anthology film in the franchise after 2016's Rogue One.

The film, which also stars Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Paul Bettany, was released in India on May 25.