‘Lego Movie’ Directors Christopher Miller And Phil Lord To Direct Han Solo Movie

Lego Movie directors Christopher Miller and Phil Lord will direct the Han Solo Star Wars spinoff.

Christoper Miller And Phil Lord To Direct Han Solo Spinoff

Fans of George Lucas’ Star Wars are finally getting a look into Han Solo’s past with a newly announced spinoff, meant to follow the adventures of a young Han Solo. On Tuesday it was announced that Miller and Lord, who also helmed 21 Jump Street, would be directing the highly anticipated film.

The film will not be directly connected to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the newest Star Wars film that will kick start a new trilogy in the series. Instead, a Han Solo film will be a part of the planned “Anthology” films – meant to give insight into a beloved character or event without disrupting the main thrust of the Star Wars mythology (Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader).

Harrison Ford, who originated the role of Han Solo in 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, is reprising the role in The Force Awakens. So, to minimize audience confusion, the Han Solo origin story film is set for release in May of 2018, one year after the planned Episode VIII, and over two years after the release of The Force Awakens.

“This is the first film we’ve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with. 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 wok 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,” Lord and Miller said in a statement.

Writers Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back) and his son Jon Kasdan (The First Time) will pen the script, and it’s unclear how much of the script has actually been written. According to the press release, “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.”

No casting news has been announced, but the Internet is abuzz with speculation on who could fill Harrison Ford’s shoes in the role. Some of the names suggested so far include Chris Pratt, who is already rumored to take on another Ford role in a possible Indiana Jones reboot, and Dylan O’Brien, who starred in Jon Kasdan’s The First Time. Casting speculation is difficult, however, as the age range for a young Han Solo has not been set (though O’Brien remains my personal favorite).

Meanwhile, Star Wars fans will hopefully get enough news at the Lucasfilm Comic-Con panel on Friday, July 10, to sustain them until the Han Solo casting is announced. Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters on Dec. 18.