Star Wars has officially announced that the second Star Wars Anthology movie, coming May 25th, 2015, will feature Han Solo and be directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord.
The script has already been written, by legendary Star Wars writer Lawrence Kasdan and his son, Jon Kasdan.
According to StarWars.com, “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.” In essence, an origin story.
Miller and Lord are the minds behind the critically acclaimed The LEGO Movie, as well as Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street.
The duo, whom StarWars.com refers to as being “[a]mong the most sought-after filmmakers working today,” are ecstatic to have this opportunity, and plan to bring originality as well as respect to the Star Wars universe.
"“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.”"
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Lawrence Kasdan is excited to work with the two directors.
"“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.”"
I think it’s interesting to note that Kasdan originally wanted Han Solo to die in The Empire Strikes Back. Not that he had or has any personal animosity for the character; he wanted Solo to die for story reasons, I’m sure. In fact, since he worked on the original trilogy, he is most likely very familiar with the nuances of Solo’s character and dialogue, so he is the perfect choice for writing him into a new film.
Jon Kasdan. Image from starwars.com
Jon Kasdan has written and directed two films, the first entitled The First Time, and the second In the Land of Women (The First Time premiered at the Sundance Film Festival). He has also written for the television shows, Freaks and Geeks and Dawson’s Creek.
Kathleen Kennedy will be producing the Solo-led film. She’s confident in the decision and the people behind this idea.
"“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.”"
If Kathleen Kennedy and Lawrence Kasdan are on board with a Han Solo Anthology film, then so am I. These are top-notch creators who know what they’re doing; and though I’d love to have an Obi Wan Kenobi spinoff first, I’m just excited that we’re getting something different than the dark war tones of Star Wars: Rogue One.
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