Lucasfilm presents “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” charting the adventure-filled past of Han Solo, the iconic, galactic scoundrel and one of the most beloved characters in cinema history. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo will meet his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounter the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that sets the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.
SOLO: A Passion Project
The camera is turned on Han Solo, the legendary smuggler with the heart of gold, in “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” the second story film from Lucasfilm, following 2016’s mega hit “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”
Producer Kathleen Kennedy, describing what makes Han Solo such an iconic and beloved character, and one whom Lucasfilm was inspired to feature in a film, says, “He’s very authentic. He’s a scoundrel, he’s a maverick, and there’s a mystery to him. Handsome, incredibly charismatic and adorable—that’s a pretty great combination for a Star Wars action hero.”
Interestingly, the “Solo” project was one of the first George Lucas talked about when he outlined his plans to Kennedy for the Star Wars stand-alone stories. They both agreed that Lawrence Kasdan, writer of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, would be the perfect person to pen it. “Larry Kasdan knows Han Solo better than anybody,” says Kennedy. “Given his long association with Star Wars, and deep understanding of Han Solo’s character, there was no one better to tell the story, and preserve the spirit and feeling of the original movies.”
Director Ron Howard, a self-avowed Star Wars fan, whose friendship with George Lucas goes back to Lucas’ early film, 1973’s “American Graffiti,” appreciated the merit of this father-and-son writing team. “Larry Kasdan is the greatest resource, not only his sense of Star Wars, but his overall sense of movies and movie heroes, where those muscular action situations intersect with character and test the character in ways that are thematically interesting, and sometimes moving and surprising.”
“Solo” explores Han Solo’s formative years and follows his journey through a series of impactful encounters, combining themes of trust, loyalty, love and betrayal with light-hearted humor, wit and rollicking action. As Howard explains: “This is a rite-of-passage story, consistent with Star Wars, with many themes that will resonate with audiences. It’s about one character’s journey, the way that he is tested by the unique challenges that he faces and by the people he meets, to become the character we know so well.”
