Big news today about another Star Wars spinoff film in the works at Disney: A new Han Solo-led movie will be helmed by Chris Miller and Phil Lord, the directors of The LEGO Movie.
Disney and Lucasfilm have tasked Miller and Lord with helming a spinoff focused on the character first played by Harrison Ford (who, by the way, is reprising his role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens later this year). Details surrounding the Han Solo spinoff are still tightly under wraps, but this movie will look at the character in his younger years. “The story focuses on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley,” says Lucasfilm in a statement.
“This is the first film we’ve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with,” the directors said today. “We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us. This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where you’re late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise you’ve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all.”
The new Star Wars movie will open in theaters May 25, 2018. The script is penned by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan — the former of whom co-wrote the screenplays for The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and The Force Awakens.
As previously reported, Disney and Lucasfilm are planning several Star Wars spinoffs in between Episodes VII and IX… and beyond. For example, the first spinoff titled Star Wars: Rogue One will open next year with Gareth Edwards in the director’s chair. The second spinoff, this new Han Solo movie, hits theaters in between Episodes VIII and IX.
Miller and Lord are juggling a handful of projects right now. In addition to their successful work on LEGO and the two Jump Street movies starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, the pair recently announced they’re producing an animated Spider-Man movie for Sony.
It’s clear that Miller and Lord are stellar directors, and an idea like bringing these two on to helm an important Star Wars spinoff may be just the thing to keep these various galaxy projects refreshing.
Who should play young Han Solo in the upcoming ‘Star Wars’ spinoff?
A role as big as this one will require selecting a very respected actor to live up to Harrison Ford’s name. Said young actor will probably have to commit to potential sequels too.
What are the chances of Ford making an appearance at the beginning to recall his earlier years, as what happened at the beginning of The Hobbit?
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