A Han Solo movie will focus on a younger version of the smuggler
Lucasfilm has officially announced that The LEGO Movie directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have been tapped to direct a “Star Wars Anthology” film that will serve as a young Han Solo movie!
“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 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 screenplay for the Han Solo movie is written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan and 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.
Lawrence Kasdan, the writer and director known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Big Chill, and Grand Canyon, is familiar to “Star Wars” fans for having co-written the screenplays for The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. His son Jon Kasdan wrote and directed The First Time, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and In the Land of Women, as well as writing for the television series “Freaks and Geeks” and “Dawson’s Creek.”
“We’re so excited to be working with Chris and Phil, who will bring a fresh new dimension to the Star Wars universe,” said the Kasdans. “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.”
Kathleen Kennedy, who will be producing the Han Solo movie, says she can’t wait to discover what’s in store from these two extraordinary teams of directors and writers.
“It’s not just any filmmaker who can tell the story of such a beloved icon like Han Solo, and I’m excited to say we’ve found the perfect team to handle the task. Larry and Jon know all there is to know about the character, and Chris and Phil will bring their wit, style, energy and heart to tell Han’s story.”
Slated for a May 25, 2018 release, the Han Solo movie will be executive produced by Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin and co-produced by Will Allegra.
Miller and Lord are also developing the feature version of The Flash for Warner Bros. and an animated version of Spider-Man for Sony. Though the pair will still write these projects, it’s unlikely they will direct them as both are already slated with release dates (March 23, 2018 and July 28, 2017, respectively). A Third “Jump Street” movie is also in development with the pair producing.
