When Ron Howard came aboard to direct Solo: A Star Wars Story following the exit of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the movie's reshoots were extended, and for most of the cast, this wasn't an issue. However, because he was already committed to another project, The Wire and Boardwalk Empire star Michael K. Williams was unable to return, so despite having already shot all of his scenes as Dryden Vos during principal photography, Paul Bettany was brought in to replace him. Months later, Williams has provided details on what his version of Dryden Vos was like in the pre-Howard version of Solo: A Star Wars Story. The actor explained:
He was half mountain lion, half human. He was extremely sophisticated. Very rich. He'd been around the world, older guy, and it was sort of a love triangle between Emilia Clarke's character, Qi'ra, and the young Han Solo. Not where it was overtly a love triangle, but there was definitely a pissing contest going on for the girl's attention. And [Vos] is old and [Han] is younger, so it was that thing also going on, like 'Young buck, I've been around the world.' But he's like 'The young chick wants the young buck.' So there was a little bit of that energy going on. But the relationship on paper was definitely with Qi'ra and Han Solo.
Michael K. Williams has said before that his version of Dryden Vos was a human/alien hybrid, but this is the first he's talked about how the character's dynamic with Han Solo and Qi'ra. It's important to note that aside from Paul Bettany's Dryden Vos being a full human, the only thing we've learned about him so far is that he's a crime lord who Han will cross paths with in the story. For all we know, his personality is the same as it was when Williams was playing the character, but for right now, Lucasfilm is keeping tightlipped on how Dryden specifically fits into the story. Regardless, this iteration of Dryden Vos sounds interesting, so even though we won't see someone who's "half mountain lion" in Solo: A Star Wars Story (fingers crossed a future Star Wars movie finds a way to fit in such an alien), hopefully Bettany's version still somewhat resembles who Williams described during his appearance on the Jim and Sam Show.
Set many years before Han Solo met Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi at the Mos Eisley Cantina, Solo: A Star Wars Story will delve into the origin of the Star Wars franchise's most beloved smuggler, which includes him meeting Lando Calrissian, pulling off a dangerous heist and making the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. Along with Pau Bettany, the main cast includes Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Joonas Suotamo. It remains to be seen if Michael K. Williams' cut scenes will be included on Solo: A Star Wars Story's home release.
Solo: A Star Wars Story blasts its way into theaters on May 25. To learn what other major motion pictures are coming out this year, head to our 2018 release schedule.
