The new movie will be an origin story for Han Solo and is set to be directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, whose previous accolades include the Jump Street films and the Lego Movie. Lucasfilm and Disney are yet to make comments but are going to have to get this just right if they want to keep fans happy.
Being self proclaimed nerds, it’s definitely going to be a fan made film by Miller and Lord whose previous work will lend itself perfectly to the quick wit and wry charm of Solo. Christopher Miller interned at Lucasfilm in his tentative years and was invited to play a stormtrooper in Geroge Lucas’ special edition series, so you can expect him to handle a movie about Han Solo’s early life carefully.
Also attached to produce is Kathleen Kennedy (E.T., Jurassic Park trilogy) alongside veteran script writer Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Raiders of the Lost Ark) and son Jon Kasdan.
The Kasdans admit how happy they are to be working alongside Miller and Lord:
We’re so excited to be working with Chris and Phil, who will bring a fresh new dimension to the Star Wars universe. They’re two of the smartest, funniest and most original filmmakers around, and the ideal choice to tell the story of Han Solo, one of the coolest characters in the galaxy.
A loose plot has been outlined on the official Star Wars website, stating that:
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.
There have been no casting announcements about who will play Solo, but rumours suggest Hollywood favourite Chris Pratt could make a suitable replacement for Harrison Fords enigmatic smuggler, and having worked with Miller and Lord on the Lego Movie, he would make a perfect fit.
The movie does have an ambitious release date of May 25th 2018 and there will likely be more updates as the year progresses.
Mark is the Gaming Editor for UNILAD. Having grown up a gaming addict, he’s been deeply entrenched in culture and spends time away from work playing as much as possible. Mark studied music at University and found a love for journalism through going to local gigs and writing about them for local and national publications.