Young Han Solo movie

Buzz Bumble

Furry Ewok
They are down to a shortlist of actors to play young Han Solo in the 2018 spin-off movie, No sign of Shia LaBeouf on the list though. ;)

From ComingSoon.net ...
Young Han Solo actor search down to final shortlist of Nerf Herders
Earlier this year, a partial list of candidates for the role of Young Han Solo in Lucasfilm's upcoming spin-off film was revealed, and now The Hollywood Reporter brings word that the list has been cut down with a lightsaber. The Young Han Solo actor shortlist includes Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar!), Jack Reynor (Transformers: Age of Extinction), and Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service). Also, Variety's Justin Kroll took to Twitter to reveal that Blake Jenner (Everybody Wants Some) and Jack O'Connell (Unbroken) are also among the final contenders.

These final five are down from a long list of actors originally looked at for the role, as Disney and Lucasfilm started a worldwide casting call with THR reporting more than 2,500 actors either met with the studio or put themselves on tape for the role. Check back here for further information on the Young Han Solo actor casting as we learn it!

The LEGO Movie helmers Phil Lord and Chris Miller will direct the "Star Wars story" which features a screenplay written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan and is set to debut in theaters on May 25, 2018. The film will focus 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. Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed last week that the film will also feature Chewbacca alongside Solo.

A previous reported suggested that casting for the film is already underway as the character might make an appearance in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, set to debut later this year on December 16.
 

Buzz Bumble

Furry Ewok
Here's an article from the New Zealand Herald (11 March, 2016) ...

Disney's about to milk Star Wars cash cow dry
Prequel bound to ruin one of cinema's most swag anti-heroes.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a bad feeling about this ... Disney have been talking up their plans to once again pair the words 'Star Wars' with the word 'prequel'. A galactically foolhardy move that was a disaster the last time this galaxy far, far away revisited the events of a long time ago.

This time around, instead of ruining Darth Vader, one of cinema's most iconic villains, they will be ruining Han Solo, one of cinema's most swag anti-heroes.

Yup, that's right. The adventures of young Han Solo are coming. Yay?

Nay.

It really is hard to see this as anything other than a cynical cash-grab engineered to sell toys and breakfast cereal off the back of an extremely popular character.

While it's true that brazen marketing can be considered a core value of the Star Wars franchise, there's usually been method to the marketing. But when thinking about a young Han Solo movie I reach an inescapable conclusion; this is not a story that needs to be told.

When we first meet Han in Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope he arrives complete. Cool as ice, knocking back Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters with his bro Chewbacca in a seedy dive bar and popping caps in any alien ass that steps up to him. In this one near-perfect scene we learn everything we need to know about the character.

This week, in a room full of bankers and telecommunication executives, Disney chief Bob Iger dropped details on the film - an origin story that focuses on Han and Chewbacca becoming best friends forever.

Yawn. Does anyone want to see that? All it will do is undo all the good work of that first Han scene. Besides, most fans already know all about the saving from slavers and life debt and all that stuff which binds Han and Chewie together.

Did Disney learn nothing from the prequel trilogy?

Obviously not. After years of hearing about The Clone Wars it was only a CGI muddled disappointment when we finally saw it. Some things are better left to the imagination. A Han Solo origin prequel is better off left in the trash.

Besdies, so much of Han's cool comes from actor Harrison Ford. He singlehandedly brought much needed swagger and charisma to the nerdy world of Star Wars. First by refusing to say any of creator George Lucas' corny dialogue and, secondly, by carrying himself with a detached bemusement that stayed on the right side of arrogant.

Disney is yet to announce which young fella is going to pull on Han's iconic vest but good luck with that.

Ah well. They've got plenty of time to get it as right as they can. This year there's another Star Wars prequel to sit through. Rogue One is about a bunch of Rebels trying to steal the Death Star plans. Because we haven't seen enough Death Star action yet, right?

The next year there's Star Wars: Episode VIII - Luke's in this one, we promise to look forward to it. And then, in 2018, Young Han Solo hits cinemas.

The title is yet to be announced, but may I humbly suggest "Han Solo: The Phantom Mischief"? "A Trick on the Clones"? "Revenge of the Smuggler" perhaps?

With two prequels in as many years it would appear Disney has officially run out of ideas of what to do with Star Wars.

All this stuff is supposed to be happening in a massive galaxy, spanning countless universes and hundreds of planets populated by gajillions of citizens. So why do we keep getting stories based around the same handful of people?

Money, mostly. Disney's bean counters don't think we'll go see a new Star Wars film without it being shackled to its worn out, dusty past.

It's a damned disgrace and such a waste of one of the most fully fleshed out and recognisable settings in all of fiction. There are so many original stories with so many amazing characters that we could be seeing. But nope. Instead we get Han bloody Solo and the creaky old Death Star. Again.

Creatively speaking, Star Wars is bankrupt. Moneywise, however, it's in rude health. The Force Awakens recently grossed US$2 billion, a number matched only by Titanic and Avatar.

Considering Disney bought Star Wars off George Lucas for a comparatively low $4 billion, you could say they are laughing all the way to the bank. The sale price also acts as a commemoration of the final poor decision Lucas would ever make concerning Star Wars.

I hate to say this because I do love the setting but the series is now a triumph of commerce over art. May the Force be with you. You're gonna need it.

- Karl Puschmann, TV and Pop Culture, New Zealand Herald (Friday, 11 March, 2016)
 

Buzz Bumble

Furry Ewok
Reportedly / rumouredly Alden Ehrenreich has signed on to play the young Han Solo.

hansolo.jpg


He doesn't look much like a young Harrison Ford to me.
 

Jedi Daniel

Geek Jedi
I can't judge until I see his performance, however he doesn't look like a young Ford. He's apparently a very good actor though.
 

Buzz Bumble

Furry Ewok
Disney of course are planning to cash-in by making more than one young Han Solo movies ...

Lucasfilm planning multiple Han Solo movies with Alden Ehrenreich
Surprising no one, The New York Daily News reports that Disney and Lucasfilm are already looking to the future with their new Han Solo, formally introduced to the public as Alden Ehrenreich at Star Wars Celebration.

The outlet reports that Ehrenreich has signed at least a three-picture deal for his role as everyone’s favorite smuggler as they hope for box office success with the first film. They quote an insider as saying:

“There is a real sense of excitement around the Han Solo movie and its potential. Given that Han’s early adventures do not need to be tied to the Empire, it leaves story lines open with the opportunity to really give fans something different. They can explore new galaxies and crazy creatures and bring in a wide array of new characters.”

The screenplay for the Han Solo movie is written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan and will focus 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. It has also been confirmed that Chewbacca will also be a featured character in the film and, while unconfirmed, it s likely that The Force Awakens‘ Joonas Suotamo will reprise the role.

Slated for a May 25, 2018 release, the Han Solo movie will be directed by 21 Jump Street and The LEGO Movie directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. It will be executive produced by Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin and co-produced by Will Allegra with production set to begin in January of 2017.
 

Buzz Bumble

Furry Ewok
The original directors have apparently been kicked out by Disney and now officially replaced by Ron Howard ... I guess Disney sent him a message saying "Help us Opie-Wan Kenobi, you're our only hope". ;)

Supposedly the movie is three-quarters filmed, so it's possible it will need either some reshoots or be a patched-up mess.
 

Buzz Bumble

Furry Ewok
The first teaser trailer / TV spot has been released and at the end it says the first trailer is due tomorrow (5 February).


Solo: A Star Wars Story
(TV spot #1)

YouTube link

 
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