Solo: A Star Wars Story

"You know, he's younger in this movie and that's fun because you have to imagine him 10 years earlier in his early 20s. What was he like before he hardened up? Before he had some setbacks? Before he put on this cynical coat? What got him there?"

- Lawrence Kasdan

The currently untitled Han Solo film is an upcoming stand-alone Star Wars film, the second such stand-alone since The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm and the tenth live-action feature film in the franchise. The film, directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan, stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo in the years prior to Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Donald Glover portrays Lando Calrissian and Joonas Suotamo portrays Chewbacca. Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Michael Kenneth Williams also star. The film was first announced as a Han Solo picture in 2015, along with the news that Christopher Miller and Phil Lord would be the film's directors. Principal photography began in January 2017, after which point creative differences arose between the two directors and the studio. Various media reports have stated that Miller and Lord's improvisational style clashed with Star Wars veteran Lawrence Kasdan's vision for the film, and that the film's producer, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, ultimately sided with Kasdan. It was announced on June 20, 2017 that Miller and Lord had been removed from the project. Ron Howard was announced as the new director for the film on June 22, and he was tasked with completing principal photography along with what has been reported to be extensive reshoots. Despite the change in directors, Lucasfilm has stated that the film is still scheduled to be released on May 25, 2018.

Pre-production
In October 2012, as George Lucas was preparing to sell Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Company, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy contacted Lawrence Kasdan, writer of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and co-writer of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, and asked him to meet her and Lucas to discuss new films in the Star Wars franchise. Kasdan recounted that Lucas had already come up with some basic ideas for the sequel trilogy and had also come up with the concept of stand-alone films. One of those movies was about young Han Solo, before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Lucas had previously toyed with the idea of a young Solo for 2005's Revenge of the Sith, but ultimately the idea was scrapped, never making out of pre-production. Kasdan was initially hesitant on being part of the new films, but he decided he could do the Han Solo movie as Solo was his favorite character. He was also hired to consult on and, alongside director J.J. Abrams, eventually co-write what became Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens.

The existence of a Kasdan-driven stand-alone film was first announced on February 5, 2013. The announcement came with word that Kasdan would write one film, while Simon Kinberg would be working on another. In an investor call, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger revealed that the original focus of Lucasfilm was for the sequel trilogy but that they were also working on stand-alones that would not be part of the core Star Wars Saga. It was not until July 7, 2015 that the film's release date of May 25, 2018 and its focus on a young Han Solo were announced. It was further announced that the project would be directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord. Jon Kasdan, Lawrence's son, was also announced as a co-writer. On March 8, 2016, Iger confirmed that the film was an "origin story about Han Solo and Chewie." Several thousand actors auditioned for the part of Solo, before Alden Ehrenreich was officially announced during Celebration Europe. Additional casting announcements revealed that Donald Glover would play Lando Calrissian and Emilia Clarke would play an unannounced role.

Production
Principal photography began in January 2017, with a working title of "Star Wars: Red Cup." By March, a film crew was present in Fuerteventura, Spain. One of the three rewards in the 2017 Force for Change fundraiser will be a role in the film. On June 20, 2017, Lucasfilm announced that directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were departing from the project due to creative differences and that a new director would be announced soon. Entertainment Weekly reported that Lord and Miller encouraged and improvisational style on set, which Lucasfilm insiders believed was moving the film away from the vision crafted by the Kasdans in their script and ended up significantly changing the story. Lucasfilm believed that these apparent issues could be fixed during reshoots, but Lord and Miller were reportedly reluctant to significantly alter their approach to the film. As a result, Kennedy made the decision to remove Lord and Miller from the production. On June 22, it was announced by Lucasfilm that Ron Howard would take over directorial duties for the film. Howard had previously worked with Lucasfilm to direct the 1988 fantasy film Willow, starring veteran Star Wars actor Warwick Davis. After the announcement, Howard said that he had been a fan of Star Wars since the beginning&mdash;he worked with Lucas on the film American Graffiti, pre-dating A New Hope&mdash;and that he found it "gratifying to be asked to lend my voice to the [Star Wars] universe."

Release
The Han Solo film is scheduled to be released on May 25, 2018, the 41st anniversary of the release of A New Hope in which Harrison Ford first appeared as Han Solo. Despite the firing of Lord and Miller, Lucasfilm has maintained that the film is still on schedule for its intended release date.