Solo: A Star Wars Story’s inspiration were films such as the Big Lebowski, Treasure Island, Heat, and other cult-classics.
The teaser trailers for Solo: A Star Wars Story yielded a unique vibe, different from other Star Wars films, or trailers for that matter. It contained the grittiness felt after watching Rogue One, but still, as Luke Skywalkers says, something strange about this place.
Trust your feelings, because there’s a reason Solo gives off a particular style — the primary writer for the film, the father and son duo Lawrence Kasdan and his offspring Jon. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly’s Anthony Breznican, Lawrence Kasdan reveals why he joined the Solo: A Star Wars Story project and what inspired he and Jon while writing the script for the movie.
"“When I was done, I was sort of burned out… ‘I don’t know, do we still want to do this Han thing? And they said, ‘Yeah! We really want you to go ahead with Han.’ And I said, ‘Well, my son, Jon, is very enthusiastic and full of ideas about the saga.’… They made a deal with Jon, and he and I have been writing since for three years.”"
Writing for Star Wars is a dream come true for Jon Kasdan, who made up original stories of his own as a child. The Maker himself, George Lucas plated a vital role in Jon’s obsession with the Star Wars universe.
"“George would send a box of toys at Christmas, and it was absolutely the highlight of Christmas. We were fanatical about it.”"
Apparently, Lucas wasn’t the only inspiration for the Kasdan’s, who are inspired by some of their favorite films — one being the 1990’s cult classic The Big Lebowski, among other films.
Photo Credit: Lucasfilm
"“Solo has that flavor of a crime world that has weirdness and surprise and people stumbling into things — and other people very intentionally getting into trouble. The Big Lebowski is a great example because Solo has a more off-kilter tone than you’ve ever seen in Star Wars.”"
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Breznican added to have us think of Han Solo as portraying “the Dude,” stumbling and bumbling throughout the movie, and Chewbacca as the furry, “roaring” Walter Sobchak. What does this mean for us Star Wars fans? This movie is going to be loads of fun and nothing like we’ve ever seen in a Star Wars film — and that’s an excellent thing.
The whole point of the standalone films is to create distinct tones and stories, and Solo: A Star Wars Story seems to be the film to take that to the very next level. Rogue One provided us with a bit of nostalgia and was real fan service for those familiar with a galaxy far, far away — which was fantastic and well executed.
But, Solo seems to be an animal of its own, like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, of sorts — an ultimate wild-card of a movie. We say, bring it on. Who knows, maybe Chewie and Han Solo will say “forget it”…
"“Dude. Let’s go bowling.”"
Next: Original trilogy characters who might appear in Solo
Solo: A Star Wars Story premieres May 25, 2018, worldwide.