It's an exciting time to be a Star Wars fan. Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi is still in theaters, and has completely subverted all fan expectations for the galaxy far, far away. And with Disney now in charge of the property and producing both standalone films and Rian Johnson's new trilogy, we should expect a new Star Wars flick every year for the foreseeable future. Next up on the docket is Solo: A Star Wars Story, which has had a bit of a complicated journey through its filming, as Ron Howard was brought in to finish the film following the departure of Chris Miller and Phil Lord. Some fans feared that reshoots would result in a Frankenstein film like Justice League, although actor Donald Glover doesn't share this concern. He recently addressed how Howard's direction changed things on set, saying:
It didn't really. I think we were never faced with anything like that and he did a good job of coming in, and didn't want us to change what we were doing at all. He wanted us to be comfortable with our vision.
It looks like Ron Howard is indeed continuing the original vision of Chris Miller and Phil Lord, especially when it comes to letting the cast of Solo: A Star Wars Story remain consistent in their performances. This no doubt kept things light on set, and made sure that Donald Glover and the rest of the company were able to truly master their respective characters in the standalone film.
Donald Glover's comments to Deadline are sure to be relieving for the generations of Star Wars fans out there. Phil Lord and Chris Miller's departure shocked many, as Solo: A Star Wars Story was nearly done with its principal photography when they came to blows with Lucasfilm. And while Ron Howard is a fine director, the idea of the change was a bit terrifying- especially because standalone films are such a new development.
Fear about Solo's contents were only increased following the release of DC's Justice League. When Zack Snyder left the project due to a family emergency, director Joss Whedon joined the project to complete his vision. But Whedon had his own idea, which resulted in script changes and a ton of reshoots. The film ultimately ended up being a bit of a hodgepodge mess, as the new footage was very obvious and two different movies battled each other out within the theatrical cut.
Alas, it looks like Ron Howard left much of Solo: A Star Wars Story the way the original directors intended-- if Donald Glover's comments are to be believed. But fans and naysayers alike will no doubt want to judge for themselves, when Solo arrives in just a few months time.
Solo: A Star Wars Story will arrive in theaters May 25th, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.
