Han Solo origins film confirmed, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller to direct

With the eagerly anticipated Star Wars installment The Force Awakens due out in cinemas at Christmas, many loyal fans of the epic space saga unsurprisingly have a bad feeling about whether the film will prove to be a big success. Look at how The Phantom Menace turned out….

But since creator George Lucas handed over control of his beloved franchise to Disney, the huge corporation have been making plans to extend the Star Wars story through a group of origin films focusing on iconic characters from the classic trilogy.

Although the prequel trilogy (1999-2005) took us back to the early days of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, R2-D2, etc, there was one particular figure whose past was never explored….until now.

Last night saw the Star Wars website confirm that the cocky space smuggler-turned-Rebellion pilot Han Solo would be getting his own origins film.

Portrayed in the original trilogy by the legendary Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones series), Solo’s backstory will also be helmed by twin directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 12:  Director Phil Lord (L) and director Christopher Miller arrive at the World Premiere of  "21 Jump Street" during the 2012 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival at Paramount Theater on March 12, 2012 in Austin, Texas.  (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for SXSW)

The pair have built up a strong reputation for their work in recent years which has included the crude comedy 21 Jump Street and its sequel 22 Jump Street as well as the hugely successful animated hit The LEGO Movie.

The duo issued a statement talking about their involvement in the Han Solo film:

“This is the first film we’ve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with. We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us.

This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where you’re late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise you’ve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all.”
The spinoff is already gaining strong support in the writing department with Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strike’s Back) and his son Jon being tasked with the script. They also spoke about their satisfaction in seeing Lord and Miller land the directing gig.

“They’re two of the smartest, funniest and most original filmmakers around, and the ideal choice to tell the story of Han Solo, one of the coolest characters in the galaxy.”

Both directors already have a busy schedule ahead of them which includes a third Jump Street film as well as production work on DC’s The Flash and The LEGO Movie 2.
Set for cinematic release on May 25th 2018, the Han Solo spinoff is one of a few films being lined up to focus on the Star Wars universe with the villainous Boba Fett also expected to receive an origin outing.

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