Tag: solo: a star wars story

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Woody Harrelson confirmed for Han Solo film

Woody Harrelson is indeed joing the Han Solo standalone, StarWars.com confirms today. The casting was first reported by Variety last week.

“We couldn’t be more excited to work with an artist with as much depth and range as Woody,” said the film’s directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. “His ability to find both humor and pathos, often in the same role, is truly unique. He is also very good at ping pong.”

Harrelson joins Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover and Emilia Clarke as the film’s fourth confirmed cast member.

Like the last few annoucements, StarWars.com declines to use any release date for the movie besides “2018.” It’s been heavily rumored and seems fairly likely that the film will move to a December release date, just like The Force Awakens, Rogue One and Episode VIII before it.

Later Wednesday, Harrelson commented on the role during a Facebook Live chat with Mashable, confirming the “mentor” portion of the original report. (via)

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Rumor: Woody Harrelson in talks for Han Solo mentor role

Variety reports today that Woody Harrelson (The Hunger Games, Zombieland) is in talks to play a mentor figure to Alden Ehrenreich’s young Han Solo. Kathleen Kennedy said last month that they expect to begin filming in February.

Ehrenreich, Donald Glover and Emilia Clarke are the only confirmed cast members for film so far, which is being directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

Recently, rumors have been swirling that the movie will be pushed back to December 13, 2018. It was originally announced for May 25, but after Rogue One’s success, I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t move. (Maintaining the May release date would likely butt it right into the home release promotional window for Episode VIII.) Lucasfilm has only been using the year in their most recent announcements.

Harrelson will next be seen in War of the Planet of the Apes.

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Looking behind Rogue One: Han Solo, Boba Fett, and what’s after IX?

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As part of Entertainment Weekly’s latest Rogue One feature, Anthony Breznican talks to Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy and Kiri Hart about what’s ahead after Han Solo and Episode IX. Hart calls Rogue One “a really good template” for launching this new kind of Star Wars film.

But overall, there’s not really that much to say right now about the future. Because even Lucasfilm isn’t sure yet:

“There are [possible movies] that we have been talking a lot about,” Kennedy says. “But we are planning to sit down in January, since we will have had The Force Awakens released, now Rogue One, and we’ve finished shooting Episode VIII. We have enough information where we can step back a little bit and say, What are we doing? What do we feel is exciting? And what are some of the things we want to explore?”

It’s certainly an interesting question. I doubt we’ll be waiting 10 years for Episode X, but how long should they wait? Will the fanbase stand for an uninterrupted string of non-Episode films?

And which standalones? Perhaps the most interesting parts of this piece look back. First, it confirms the long-standing rumors that Josh Trank’s canceled standalone was about Boba Fett. (Ugh.) They even had a teaser reel ready to show us at Celebration Anaheim in spring 2015. A Fett film still might happen – Breznican calls it “backburnered” – but it’ll no doubt have to wait until the right director comes along. (And yes, the possibility of an Obi-Wan Kenobi film is mentioned. Again, Lucasfilm knows you want it.)

Secondly, Kennedy also mentions that the idea for the Han Solo standalone wasn’t one that George Lucas mentioned as a spinoff. We’ve previously heard otherwise, which makes me wonder if the original idea came from George in a different context, like the never-produced live-action series. (After all, Saw Gerrera made the jump from there to The Clone Wars to Rogue One – why not a major character like Han?)

In another article, this time at Variety, Kennedy talks about some of the Han film’s inspirations:

“This moves closer to a heist or Western type feel,” says Kennedy. “We’ve talked about [Frederic] Remington and those primary colors that are used in his paintings defining the look and feel of the film.”

She also talks about her desire to bring in more women to direct Star Wars films.

“We want to make sure that when we bring a female director in to do “Star Wars,” they’re set up for success,” says Kennedy. “They’re gigantic films, and you can’t come into them with essentially no experience.”

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Emilia Clarke cast in Han Solo standalone

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Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke has landed a role in the upcoming young Han Solo film, per StarWars.com.

It’s not yet clear if this is the same role we’ve heard that Tessa Thompson, Zoe Kravitz and Naomi Scott tested for. But Variety says that Clarke tested with a different group of actresses that also included Kiersey Clemons (The Flash movie,) and Jessica Henwick (who played X-wing pilot Jessika Pava in The Force Awakens, so, uh… Okay.) Hopefully, the two different groups mean there’s another role yet to be officially cast, but at the moment everyone but Clarke is just a rumor.

Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover have previously been announced for the film as Han Solo and Lando Calrissian. We also expect Peter Mayhew and/or Joonas Suotamo to return as Chewbacca.

Interestingly, StarWars.com only gives ‘2018’ for the film’s release in this latest dispatch. It was originally announced for May 25, 2018, despite The Force Awakens, Rogue One and Episode VIII all being moved to December releases. Han seems likely to follow suit. Filming is expected to begin early next year.

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Hey, doubters: Let’s give the Han Solo movie a chance

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Well, of course the Han Solo movie is rumored to be about Han winning the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian. Of course. It’s only the most iconic Han and Lando story, the bare outline direct from The Empire Strikes Back.

That said, the rumor does come from a tweet by The Hollywood Reporter’s Borys Kit, who claims to have heard it from “a couple of sources” – though not, apparently, enough for an actual story. Still, it would be bigger news if the film didn’t involve the Falcon.

Now, we’re all a little (a lot, truth be told) sick of people complaining about how this film is going to be “predictable” or “boring.” About how people would rather have an Obi-wan movie, or whatever. (No, you’re not the first person to say it. You’re not even the thousandth.) And this rumor isn’t going to help matters, I’m sure. But the film is in pre-production. It has two key roles cast – Han and Lando – with a third that probably isn’t far behind. (Not to mention Chewbacca is probably locked in, as we know Ehrenrich tested with either Peter Mayhew or Joonas Suotamo.)

han-lord-miller-falconMost importantly, It also has a pair of directors who are best known for taking “horrible” ideas and actually making great films out of them. If you somehow managed to miss Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s The LEGO Movie or 21 Jump Street remake, please give them a try. And remember Lawrence Kasdan? He co-wrote the thing. These are not a bunch of random dudes off the street making a fan film. They, and everyone else at Lucasfilm, have a clear concept of the character and the film – check out those Celebration Europe clips again.

What do we, the audience, have? Hints and rumors and speculation – not the most solid ground for judgement.

I’m not going to discount the possibility that the movie could still turn out so-so. Hell, I’m still a little wary about the whole spinoff concept myself.

Fact is, this movie is happening. You don’t have to like it, but that’s not going to change at this point. But it’s far, far too soon to write it off. Give Han Solo a chance, just like you’re going to give Rogue One a chance. Hopefully, they both manage to surprise us.

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It’s official: Donald Glover is the new Lando Calrissian

donald-gloverLucasfilm has announced that Donald Glover will be playing the young Lando Calrissian in 2018’s Han Solo standalone. StarWars.com says the film will “depicts Lando in his formative years as a scoundrel on the rise in the galaxy’s underworld.” Glover joins Alden Ehrenreich as Han.

“We’re so lucky to have an artist as talented as Donald join us,” said directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. “These are big shoes to fill, and an even bigger cape, and this one fits him perfectly, which will save us money on alterations. Also, we’d like to publicly apologize to Donald for ruining Comic-Con for him forever.”

The Han movie, which is still untitled, is due out in 2018. Rumor has it that a third major role, a woman, has a shortlist.

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Report: Tessa Thompson, Zoe Kravitz among actresses testing for Han Solo standalone

Variety reports today that three actresses have tested for the young Han Solo spinoff. Tessa Thompson (Creed), Zoe Kravitz (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Naomi Scott (the upcoming Power Rangers) have all tested in London for the film’s female lead, they say.

Both Thompson and Kravitz are familiar faces who’ve have been around for a bit. I remember Thompson from her turn on Veronica Mars, but she’s recently got a lot of buzz with roles in Creed, Selma, and the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok. Kravitz has a heavy genre resume in addition to Mad Max, with roles in X-Men: First Class, the Divergent films and the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them trilogy.

Naomi ScottScott isn’t quite as well known, but she was in Fox’s 2011 time-travel dinosaur drama Terra Nova and The Martian before landing the role of the Pink Ranger in 2017’s Power Rangers.

Variety also addresses the rumor about Donald Glover and the Lando Calrissian role, but there’s apparently a “second round of tests” in the offing. Until now, Glover is the only name that’s been publicly linked to the role, though The Hollywood Reporter now says that O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Netflix’s The Get Down) are also finalists.

Whoever wins the role(s) will be playing against Alden Ehrenreich’s Han Solo. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the untitled film is currently scheduled for a May 2018 release.