Solo premiered inLos Angeles on May 10, 2018, and was released in North America on May 25. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, which praised the cast (particularly Ehrenreich and Glover), visuals, score, and action sequences, while some criticized the storyline and screenplay.[14] It was the firstStar Wars film to be abox-office bomb, grossing $393 million worldwide.[15][16][17] It received a nomination forBest Visual Effects at the91st Academy Awards.
On the planetCorellia, orphansHan andQi'ra escape a local gang. They bribe anImperial officer with stolen coaxium, a starship fuel, for passage on a transport, but Qi'ra is captured before she can board. Han vows to return for her and joins the Imperial Navy as a flight cadet, being given the surname "Solo".
Three years later, Han is serving as an infantryman onMimban following his expulsion from the Imperial Flight Academy for insubordination. He encounters a trio of criminals posing as Imperial soldiers, led byTobias Beckett. Han attempts to blackmail Beckett into letting him join the gang, but Beckett has him arrested and thrown into a pit to be fed to aWookiee prisoner namedChewbacca. Able to understand Chewbacca's language, Han persuades him to cooperate to escape. Beckett, aware of the usefulness of a Wookiee's strength, rescues and enlists them in the gang to steal a shipment of coaxium on Vandor-1. The plan fails when the Cloud Riders, a band ofspace pirates led byEnfys Nest, arrive to hijack the shipment. The resulting chaos leads to the destruction of the coaxium and the deaths of Beckett's partner Val and their crewman Rio.
Beckett reveals that he was ordered to steal the shipment forDryden Vos, a high-ranking crime boss in the Crimson Dawn syndicate. Han and Chewbacca volunteer to help him steal another shipment to repay the debt so that Vos will not kill him. They travel to Vos's yacht, where Han finds Qi'ra, who has joined Crimson Dawn as Vos's top lieutenant. Han suggests a risky plan to steal unrefined coaxium from the mines onKessel. Vos approves but insists that Qi'ra accompany the team. She leads them toLando Calrissian, a smuggler and pilot, who she hopes will lend them his ship, theMillennium Falcon. Han challenges Lando to a game of cards, with the wager being Lando's ship. Lando cheats to win but agrees to join the mission in exchange for a share of the profits.
After reaching Kessel in theFalcon and infiltrating the mine, Lando's droid co-pilot L3-37 instigates aslave revolt. They steal the coaxium, but L3 is fatally damaged in the confusion and Lando is wounded during the escape. With the help of L3's navigational data, uploaded into the ship's systems, Han pilots the ship through the dangerous and unchartedKessel Run to elude an Imperial blockade. TheFalcon, badly damaged, lands on the planetSavareen to process the coaxium.
Enfys arrives, having tracked the team from Vandor, and Lando leaves in theFalcon, deserting everyone else. Enfys reveals that she and her crew are rebels trying to strike back at the syndicates and the Empire. Han becomes sympathetic to their cause and tries to trick Vos, who reveals Beckett has already alerted him to the double-cross. Vos sends his guards to kill Enfys, but the Cloud Riders overpower them, leaving Vos defenseless. Having anticipated Vos's strategy, Han tries to take the coaxium, but Beckett betrays Vos and escapes with it, taking Chewbacca hostage. Qi'ra kills Vos and sends Han after Beckett. She contacts Vos's superior,Maul, to inform him of the mission's failure, which she blames on Beckett. Maul orders Qi'ra to meet with him onDathomir.
Han confronts Beckett and shoots him dead before he can return fire. Qi'ra leaves in Vos's yacht, while Han and Chewbacca give the coaxium to Enfys, who offers Han a chance to join the rebellion against the Empire. He declines, and she gives him a vial of coaxium, enough to purchase a ship of his own.
Han and Chewbacca locate Lando and challenge him to a rematch, once again wagering theFalcon. This time Han wins after having stolen the hidden card that Lando used to cheat his way to victory the first time. Han and Chewbacca then leave forTatooine to find the crime lord mentioned by Beckett who is putting together a big, profitable job.
Alden Ehrenreich starred in the title role ofHan Solo.
Alden Ehrenreich asHan Solo: A cynical smuggler who joins Beckett's crew.[18][19] When asked howSolo differs from Han's appearance in otherStar Wars films, Ehrenreich stated, "I think the main thing that's different is that the Han we meet in this film is more of an idealist. He has certain dreams that he follows, and we watch how it affects him as those dreams meet new realities—realities that are harder and more challenging than he'd expected."[20]Harrison Ford, who portrayed the character in previous films, met with Ehrenreich, giving him some insight and words of advice.[21]
Emilia Clarke asQi'ra: Han's childhood friend and romantic interest. Describing her character, Clarke said: "She has a couple of guises, but essentially she is just fighting to stay alive. If you've got a really glamorous lady in a really sordid environment, you kind of know the glamor is hiding a few rough roads."[20] With regard to her character's relationship with Solo, Clarke offered that "They grew up as comrades, essentially. They grew up as pals, as partners in crime. There is obviously the romantic side of things. But they grew up together. So they were kids together."[26][27][28]
Donald Glover asLando Calrissian: A smuggler, gambler, and self-proclaimed sportsman on the rise in the galaxy's underworld.[29][30]Billy Dee Williams, who portrayed the character in previous films, met with Glover, giving him some insight and words of advice.[31]
Thandiwe Newton[b] as Val Beckett: Tobias Beckett's partner, a fellow criminal and member of his crew.[6][24]
Phoebe Waller-Bridge as the voice ofL3-37: Lando's droid companion and navigator.[32][24] When the character dies in the film, her consciousness and data are uploaded to theMillennium Falcon, which serves as aretcon of the previousStar Wars films, includingThe Empire Strikes Back, in which the starship is described as having "the most peculiar dialect". ScreenwriterJonathan Kasdan explained that this was done to give "theFalcon a personality that is fused with this amazing character played by Phoebe [which] I think does actually enrich the other movies".[33]
Paul Bettany asDryden Vos: A ruthless crime lord who has a history with Beckett.[24]Michael K. Williams had originally been cast,[34] but he was removed from the final film after being unable to return to set during the film's reshoots.[35] Bettany was cast in his place, with the character being reworked from a motion-capture alien (described by Williams as half-mountain lion, half-human)[36] to a scarred near-human alien lifeform.[37]
Erin Kellyman appears as Enfys Nest, the leader of a gang of space pirates called Cloud Riders.[38]Jon Favreau voices Rio Durant, a pilot on Beckett's crew,[39][40] andLinda Hunt voices Lady Proxima, the serpent-like leader of the gang to which teenage Han and Qi'ra belong. Ian Kenny portrays Rebolt[41] whileClint Howard portrays Ralakili.[42] Additionally,Anthony Daniels cameos as Tak.[43][44]Kiran Shah plays Karjj andWarwick Davis briefly reprises his role fromThe Phantom Menace as Weazel, a Cloud Rider.[45]Ray Park reprises his role asMaul,[46] withSam Witwer providing the voice, reprising the role fromThe Clone Wars andRebels animated TV series.[47]Peter Serafinowicz, Maul's original voice actor inThe Phantom Menace, was initially brought in and recorded Maul's dialogue, but his vocal performance was ultimately dropped in favor of Witwer's with the explanation that it was "better for the continuity".[48]Dee Tails[49] appears as Quay Tolsite, the director of the Pyke Syndicate's operations on Kessel.[50]
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film's original directors, were hired in July 2015.
A first attempt at an appearance of Han Solo as a child was present during the pre-production ofStar Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith in 2002, showing an early draft of a young Solo that takes part in the battle on Kashyyyk.[53]Later, a planned live-action TV series developed byStar Wars creatorGeorge Lucas titledStar Wars: Underworld would have depicted Han Solo's first meeting with Chewbacca and his winning theMillennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian.[54][55] In 2012, about three weeks before Lucasfilm became a Disney property,Lawrence Kasdan had a meeting with Lucas andKathleen Kennedy about relaunching the franchise and was presented with nine film ideas, devised and sketched by Lucas himself, which included the new sequel trilogy and various spin-offs. However, Kasdan wasn't sure if he wanted to make more movies even though the story about Han Solo was the one that inspired him the most, so Lucas commissioned him to write the screenplay.[56][57] After Lucas sold his company to Disney in 2012, Kasdan was hired to help finish the script forStar Wars: The Force Awakens, leaving his sonJonathan Kasdan in charge of writingSolo until his return.[58] The film was internally codenamed "Harry and the Boy" and initially planned to followThe Force Awakens.[59]
In February 2013,Disney CEOBob Iger confirmed the development of twoStar Warsstandalone films, one written by Lawrence Kasdan.[60] Shortly thereafter, it was reported that Disney was working on a film featuring Solo.[61] Disney CFOJay Rasulo described the standalone films asorigin stories.[62] In July, Lucasfilm announced that an anthology film focusing "on how [a] young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whomLuke Skywalker andObi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina atMos Eisley"[63] would be released on May 25, 2018. The film was supposed to be released afterThe Force Awakens, but the temporary departure of Kasdan led to the first development of the spin-offRogue One.[64] The project was to be directed byPhil Lord and Christopher Miller from a script by Lawrence and Jonathan Kasdan. Kathleen Kennedy would serve as a producer, with Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin as executive producers;[1]Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel also produce.[6] Solo's Wookiee friend Chewbacca was also announced to appear in the film.[65][66] In May 2016, Lawrence Kasdan stated that filming would start in January 2017.[67]
In early January 2017,Woody Harrelson was revealed to be in negotiations to portray Han Solo's mentor,[86] and was confirmed to be appearing in the film shortly after.[22]Christian Bale had previously been in discussions for the role.[87] A subsequent interview with Harrelson bolstered speculation that he may be specifically playingLegends characterGarris Shrike,[88][89] but Harrelson revealed the character's name as Beckett in March 2017.[23] In February 2017,Phoebe Waller-Bridge joined the cast in an undisclosed role, said to be "a CGI-driven performance" similar toAlan Tudyk inRogue One as the droidK-2SO.[32] Additionally, it was reported thatThandiwe Newton was in negotiations to star in the film.[90] Waller-Bridge and Newton were confirmed as part of the cast by the end of February, alongside the announcement that Joonas Suotamo would appear as Chewbacca, reprising the role fromThe Force Awakens andThe Last Jedi, where he shared it with original Chewbacca actorPeter Mayhew.[6]Michael K. Williams entered talks to join the film in early March 2017,[91] and was confirmed shortly after,[34] portraying a half-human, half-animal creature.[35] By the end of the month, Ian Kenny had joined the cast.[41]Warwick Davis was confirmed as part of the cast by the end of July 2017.[45]
Peter Serafinowicz was set to reprise his voice role as Maul and had recorded dialogue during production atPinewood Studios. He was later informed by Lucasfilm after the film's premiere that he had been replaced bySam Witwer in order to maintaincontinuity withThe Clone Wars andRebels animated television series, in which Witwer voiced the character.[48]
Ron Howard took over directing duties midway through production, reshooting 70% of the film.
Filming began on January 30, 2017,[92] at Pinewood Studios,[70] under theworking titleStar Wars: Red Cup.[92][e] By February 10, the film had spent $54.5 million on production.[95] Lucasfilm announced that principal photography started on February 20, 2017.[6]Bradford Young served as the cinematographer for the film.[96] In May 2017, filming took place in Italy, with locations includingTre Cime di Lavaredo andMonte Piana in theDolomites inVeneto, to theFassa Dolomites inTrentino.[97][98] Filming also took place in the Canary Islands that month.[99]
On June 20, 2017, citing "creative differences", Lucasfilm announced that directors Lord and Miller had left the project with a new director "to be announced soon".[2][100] It was reported that the directors were fired after Kennedy and Lawrence Kasdan disagreed with their shooting style;[3][101] Lord and Miller believed they were hired to make a comedy film, while Lucasfilm was looking for the duo only to add "a comedic touch." Lucasfilm also felt the directors were encouraging too much improvisation from the actors, which was believed to be "shifting the story off-course" from the Kasdans' script.[102] To appease Kasdan, who was unhappy with scenes not being filmed "word for word," Lord and Miller shot several takes exactly as written, then shot additional takes.[7] Lord and Miller refused to compromise on certain scenes, such as filming a scene from fewer angles than Lucasfilm expected, thereby reducing the options available inediting.[102][7] The duo were also unhappy when Lawrence Kasdan was brought to the London set, feeling he became a "shadow director".[7] The decision to remove Lord and Miller was made after a short hiatus in filming taken to review the footage so far.[3] The original film editor,Chris Dickens,[6] was also removed from the film, replaced byPietro Scalia.[7]
During reshoots, Michael K. Williams (left) was not able to return due to scheduling conflicts. Paul Bettany would be cast to replace Williams, and the character as a whole was redeveloped.
It was reported thatRon Howard, who had previously collaborated with Lucas as an actor inAmerican Graffiti (1973) and the director ofWillow (1988), was a frontrunner to step in as director. Howard had turned down an offer to directStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.[103]Joe Johnston and Kasdan were also considered, though in regards to Kasdan,Directors Guild of America rules state that a replacement for a director may not be someone already involved in the production.[101][104] Two days later, it was announced that Howard would take over directing for the remaining three and a half weeks of scheduled principal photography as well as the scheduled five weeks of reshoots.[4][105] Howard wrote, "I'm beyond grateful to add my voice to theStar Wars universe... I hope to honor the great work already done and help deliver on the promise of a Han Solo film."[106] Howard was expected to arrive in London on June 26 to complete filming.[7] During the reshoots, actor Michael K. Williams was unable to return to the production, due to a schedule conflict with filmingThe Red Sea Diving Resort, resulting in his part being redeveloped and recast withPaul Bettany.[107] Williams stated the reshoots for his character were "to match the new direction which the producers wanted Ron to carry the film in," and that he would not have been available again until November 2017; the production did not want to wait for his availability to make a release in May 2018.[35] Bettany, who previously worked with Howard onA Beautiful Mind andThe Da Vinci Code, had heard of the director's involvement with the film and texted him to inquire into joining the film. "Two weeks later I was flying to London to be inStar Wars," Bettany detailed in a May 2018 interview withThe Los Angeles Times.[108]
Lucas, Howard's friend, mentor and collaborator, made a surprise visit to the set to encourage Howard on his first day shooting. Intended as a short meeting, Lucas spent the whole day with the crew. While Lucas had not meant to interfere, at some point he forgot and asked, "Why doesn't Han just do this?"; Howard included his suggestion.[109] On October 17, 2017, Howard announced that principal photography had been completed, and revealed the title of the film.[110]
In March 2018, after it was reported Howard had reshot around 70% of the film, it was announced that Lord and Miller would not challenge for director credit and instead agreed to executive producer credits.[5][111] The duo saw an early cut of Howard's film and provided him with their feedback.[112] Post-production wrapped on April 22, 2018.[113] According to the writers, the scene where Han shoots Beckett is a deliberate reference toa scene from the 1977Star Wars, where the former shootsGreedo.[114][115]
The Slow Mo Guys (Gavin Free and Daniel Gruchy) provided inspiration for the visual effects used to achieve the coaxium train heist.
The visual effects were provided byIndustrial Light & Magic, Hybride and Blind LTD and Supervised by Nigel Sumner, Julian Foddy, Greg Kegel, Joseph Kasparian, Francois Lambert, Andrew Booth, Rob Bredow andPatrick Tubach with the help ofJellyfish Pictures, Raynault VFX,Lola VFX and Nvizage.[116] Bredow described working on the train heist scene as a challenge. "I've always in my own life referenced the Star Wars films in terms of having the coolest explosions ever, you know, back toJoe Viskocil's explosions of the Death Star and the way those evolved over time. It was like, 'How am I going to do something that's different and unique in the Star Wars universe?". He would utilize miniature models and built a 3D model of the mountain in the film and blew it up with a variety offirecrackers within a largefish tank built at Pinewood. The team took inspiration from theYouTube channelThe Slow Mo Guys, specifically a video of the creatorsGavin Free and Daniel Gruchy conducting an experiment that saw them blowing up firecrackers in a fish tank to capture the explosion inslow motion.[117]
Around 60 different designs of theMillennium Falcon were developed before the final version seen in the film was settled on. Taken into consideration by the design team was 1970s culture, examiningmuscle cars, as well as concept art drafted for the 1977 film. Lead designer James Clyne described adding anescape pod to the front of the ship as solving a curiosity he had as a boy as to why theFalcon had that design.[118]Rear-projection visual effects, a technique used to combine foreground performances with pre-filmed backgrounds, were used for theFalcon cockpit scenes, an updated version of the technique used in the original trilogy. This allowed the actors to have a visual reference for the scene.[119]
The creation of L3 was a combination of practical and visual effects. Actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge was present on set and wore a costume to perform her scenes, with post-production visual effects done to erase Waller-Bridge out of the footage and to add in interior pieces and wires.[120]
Phil Tippett created thestop motion animation for the holochess scene, which included two characters that didn't make it to the 1977 movie.[121][122]
In July 2017,John Powell was announced as the main composer of the score.[123] LongtimeStar Wars composerJohn Williams composed and conducted the Han Solo theme, "The Adventures of Han", for the film.[8] Powell began writing the music in late 2017 after finishing his work onFerdinand. In December 2017, Williams wrote two musical pieces and combined them to create Han's theme. The following month, Williams recorded the demos with the Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles at theNewman Scoring Stage.[124] Powell interpolated Williams' new theme into his score, as well as incorporating music by Williams from previousStar Wars films, including theStar Wars main title, and several motifs and cues fromA New Hope,The Empire Strikes Back, andThe Phantom Menace.[125]Walt Disney Records released the soundtrack album on May 25, 2018.[124] In September 2020, Powell announced on social media that a deluxe edition of the soundtrack album would be remixed and mastered by 5 Cat Studios, featuring all unedited cues from the score and additional demos that Williams had composed for the film.[126][127][128] The deluxe edition was released on November 20, 2020, featuring an additional 40 minutes of previously unreleased music.[129][130] In December 2020, Mondo had publicly announced the release of the soundtrack on 180g vinyl and limited "hyperspace" vinyl, due for January 2021.
A "sneak peek" TV spot was released duringSuper Bowl LII on February 4, 2018.[131] It became the most popular Super Bowl trailer onYouTube with8 million views. It also had5.9 million views on Facebook.[132]
The first official teaser trailer was released on February 5, 2018. Graeme McMillan ofThe Hollywood Reporter criticized the trailer as "dull", and compared it negatively to the look ofRogue One, opining that the visuals "should be the hive of scum and villainy of the Cantina of the very first movie, filled with colorful aliens and things happening all over the place. That busyness, the sense of danger and hustle, feels appropriate for Solo in a way that what's on show in this first trailer simply doesn't." He also noted that several plot elements presented in the trailer were reminiscent ofThe Han Solo Trilogy, a series of novels published in 1997 and 1998.[133]
In early March 2018, French artist Hachim Bahous asserted that Disney hadplagiarized a series of album covers he designed forSony Music's labelLegacy Recordings in France with character posters for the film. Disney stated they were investigating the alleged plagiarism and that theSolo posters had been produced by an outside vendor.[134]
Solo had its world premiere on May 10, 2018, at theEl Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles,[135] and also screened on May 15, 2018, at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.[136] The film was released in the United States on May 25, 2018.[1]
Solo: A Star Wars Story grossed $213.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $179.4 million in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $393.2 million.[11] With an estimated production budget of around $300 million, it was reported that the film needed to gross around $600 million worldwide tobreak even.[138][139][10]
A week after its worldwide debut of just $147.5 million,Variety wrote that the film would lose Disney "tens of millions of dollars" off a projected final total gross of $400–450 million[140] whileThe Hollywood Reporter estimated the losses would range from $50 to $80 million.[17] In April 2019,Deadline Hollywood calculated the film lost the studio $76.9 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues.[141] In October 2024,Forbes reported for production alone, the pre-tax loss of the film is $65 million.[142] A year later this figure was updated to a loss of $103.3 million.[10]
In June 2018, in response to the film's commercial performance, director Ron Howard tweeted he was proud of the film, and sorry that fans were not turning out to see it in larger numbers, but was happy for those who had enjoyed it.[143] The following year, Howard stated that online trolls were partially to blame for the film's underwhelming box-office performance.[144]
Initial projections three weeks before its release had the film grossing around $170 million over its four-day Memorial Day opening weekend.Deadline Hollywood noted that it was tracking higher than the previousStar Wars spin-off film,Rogue One (which debuted to $155 million), and had more interest from audiences than the likes of fellow blockbustersSpider-Man: Homecoming andGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.[145] After its first day of pre-sales,Fandango announced the film was the second-best seller of advance tickets in 2018, afterAvengers: Infinity War.[146] At the week of its release, projections had the film making $135–170 million over the four-day frame, with Disney predicting a $130–150 million debut.[147]
The film opened in 4,381 theaters, the ninth-highest total ever, including 3,300 3D locations and 400IMAX screens. It grossed $14.1 million from Thursday night previews, the lowest of the DisneyStar Wars films but the best-ever for Memorial Day weekend, beating the $13.2 million made byPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007). Including Thursday previews, the film made $35.6 million on its first day, lowering weekend projections to $115 million. It grossed just $84.4 million in its opening weekend (and $103 million over the four–day weekend), far below projections and marking the lowestStar Wars debut sinceAttack of the Clones (2002), although it did set a new career-high opening for Howard.[148][149]Deadline Hollywood compared the below-expectations opening toJustice League the previous November, and attributed it to fan negativity toward the concept and the behind-the-scenes problems, as well as competition fromDeadpool 2 andAvengers: Infinity War.[139] Many analysts and publications, includingDeadline,The Atlantic,Entertainment Weekly andCNN, interpreted the low box office returns as a case of "Star Wars fatigue", sinceSolo was the fourth film of the series released in 29 months, and came just five months afterThe Last Jedi.[150][151][152] Other analysts attributed the film's underperformance to lackluster marketing,[153][154] as well as the divided fan reception toThe Last Jedi.[155]Solo dropped 65% in its second weekend to $29.4 million, the worst sophomore frame for anyStar Wars film since the original trilogy.[156][157] It dropped another 46% in its third weekend to $15.7 million, finishing second behind newcomerOcean's 8, and $10 million in its fourth week, finishing fourth.[158][159]
Worldwide the film was expected to make $285–340 million in its opening weekend, including $150–170 million internationally.[147] It opened in 43 markets on the Wednesday and Thursday prior to its US release and made a total of $11.4 million, including $3.3 million in China.[160] It went on to open to just $65 million internationally and $147.5 million worldwide. It grossed $10.3 million in the United Kingdom, and also finished first in Australia ($5 million), Germany ($4.3 million), France ($3.9 million), Russia ($3.6 million), Spain ($2.6 million), Mexico ($2.5 million), Italy ($2.2 million) and Brazil ($1.3 million). Despite being the second-largest international opening, it made just $10.1 million in China, far below the other three DisneyStar Wars films.[161] The film held a better-than-expected 47% in its second weekend, making $30.3 million from 54 countries and remaining the top film in several, including Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom.[162]
Donald Glover's performance as Lando Calrissian was praised by critics.[163][164]
On review aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoes,Solo has an approval rating of 69% based on 486 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A flawed yet fun and fast-paced space adventure,Solo: A Star Wars Story should satisfy newcomers to the saga as well as longtime fans who check their expectations at the theater door."[165] OnMetacritic, the film has aweighted average score of 62 out of 100, based on 54 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[166] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale, whilePostTrak reported that 89% of filmgoers gave it positive score, with 73% saying they would recommend it.[139]
Writing forRolling Stone,Peter Travers gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4, complimenting the cast but criticizing the lack of creativity, saying, "somehow Han Solo—the roguishStar Wars hellion famous for breaking all the rules—finds himself in a feel-good movie that doesn't break any."[167]A. O. Scott ofThe New York Times said, "It doesn't take itself too seriously, but it also holds whatever irreverent, anarchic impulses it might possess in careful check." He noted that it is "a curiously low-stakes blockbuster, in effect a filmed Wikipedia page".[168] Michael Rechtshaffen ofThe Hollywood Reporter praised the cast and production values but felt the film as a whole felt too safe, writing, "while Ehrenreich's Solo proves adept at maneuvering the Millennium Falcon out of some tight spots, the picture itself follows a safely predictable course. Missing here are the sort of plot-related or visual curveballs thrown byRian Johnson'sThe Last Jedi orGareth Edwards withRogue One."[169]
Particular praise was pointed towards Glover's performance as Lando Calrissian.USA Today asserted that Glover's Calrissian "outshone and outswaggered" the title character of Solo.[163]TheWrap compared Glover toCary Grant, proclaiming "Glover sweeps this film off its feet."[170] While also praising the rest of the cast,Stephanie Zacharek ofTime singled Glover out particularly, highlighting his "unruly, charismatic elegance."[164]
Ron Howard said that original Han Solo actor Harrison Ford saw the film twice and spoke positively about it and Ehrenreich's performance.[171] In a joint interview with Ehrenreich to promote the film, Ford called the film "spectacular" and said that he "couldn't be happier" with Ehrenreich's performance.[172]Billy Dee Williams was more critical of the film, particularly due to the direction of Calrissian: "I think that the reason they didn't have the success they could have had, [is] because they were going for something that was topical, instead of an adventure that's far beyond those questions. If you're talking about this huge, incredible story, why lock yourself into this tiny moment between a character like Lando and his robot friend?"[173] In other interviews, he complimented other aspects of the film, including Glover's perceptions of Lando's gender fluidity: "That kid is brilliant!"[174]
A novelization byMur Lafferty,Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition (ISBN978-0525619390) was published on September 4, 2018, byDel Rey Books. It includes scenes from alternate versions of the film's script,[182] including scenes in which Qi'ra is brought back to Lady Proxima,[183] Chewbacca uses some of Lando's "outrageously expensive" bathroom products,[184] and in an epilogue, Enfys Nest delivers the coaxium toSaw Gerrera andJyn Erso.[183]
Additionally, a seven-issue comic book adaptation of the film was published byMarvel Comics starting in October 2018, written by Robbie Thompson and pencilled byWill Sliney.[185][186]
Alden Ehrenreich confirmed his contract deal to appear as Han Solo extended for two additional films, giving the studio the option to pursue a sequel toSolo: A Star Wars Story, or feature him in other anthology films in a supporting capacity.[187] Ehrenreich said he would like any sequels to differentiate themselves from the previousStar Wars trilogies by being standalone, in the vein of theIndiana Jones films, rather than direct follow-ups.[188] Emilia Clarke, who played Qi'ra, also signed on for future installments.[189]
Ron Howard said that while no sequel was in development, it was up to the fans to decide.[190] Critics noted the film intentionally left room open for sequels.[191]Solo writer Jon Kasdan said that he would include bounty hunterBossk (who briefly appears inThe Empire Strikes Back and is mentioned inSolo) if he were to write a sequel for the film.[192] Kennedy also said that a film focusing on Lando Calrissian could happen, but was not a priority. Donald Glover also expressed interest in a spin-off film, saying he would imagine it asCatch Me If You Can in space.[193][194]
On June 20, 2018,Collider claimed that all future anthology films were on hold due to the disappointing financial performance ofSolo.[195] A day later, Lucasfilm denied the rumors as "inaccurate" and confirmed that there are multiple unannounced films in development.[196] Bob Iger has said that the production of new films would go on hiatus after 2019'sThe Rise of Skywalker, though none were cancelled.[197]
On May 23, 2019, the hosts of The Resistance Broadcast encouraged fans on social media to use the hashtag #MakeSolo2Happen. The campaign was a mixture of celebrating the first movie and to spread awareness that a sequel is wanted. The campaign reached multiple people involved with the film, including Ron Howard. To express his gratitude, Jon Kasdan tweeted an image of three crime syndicate logos, hinting that future stories could still be in the works.[198] Kasdan has hinted that a sequel could featureJabba the Hutt, being an origin story of Solo partnering up with the character.[199][f] In March 2020, Kasdan tweeted that he did not "think anyone's pursuing a Solo sequel at the moment ... I think a feature, at this point, would be a tough sell."[202]
On May 25, 2020, fans again used the hashtag #MakeSolo2Happen to show their appreciation for the film on its second anniversary. The hashtag went viral with fans arguing that the film deserved more praise and once again calls were made for a continuation of the story. A number of people tweeting with the hashtag expressed their desire to see more of Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra.[203] Rita Dorsch ofComic Book Resources said that, by far, the most interesting part ofSolo is Qi'ra's turn and that any follow-up film needs to focus on her.[204] Writing forCinemaBlend, Dirk Libbey stated "it seems unlikely that theSolo 2 fans will get the movie they want. Of course, some don't actually need a theatrical follow-up. They would be happy with aDisney+ series that didn't even necessarily include Han Solo, but instead focused on the criminal organization being run by Qi'ra."[205] A Marvel comic book crossover series features Qi'ra and Crimson Dawn after the events ofThe Empire Strikes Back,[206] and an upcoming comic will feature Han, Chewbacca, andGreedo doing a job for Jabba the Hutt.[207]
In December 2020, aLando limited series was announced for Disney+, with a story byJustin Simien. In May 2022, Kennedy stated that the series was still in development and that they were having discussions with Glover about reprising the role.[208]
In December 2022, Howard confirmed that Lucasfilm had no plans for a sequel toSolo.[209] In September 2023, Stephen Glover revealed that their latest plans forLando, before work was halted by the2023 Writers Guild of America strike, was for it to be a feature film rather than a television series.[210]
^Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film's original directors,[1] were fired from the film in June 2017 after months of shooting, and about three-quarters through principal photography.[2][3][4] Howard took over directing duties for the remaining weeks of scheduled principal photography and reshoots.[4] The duo opted to receive credit as executive producers.[5]
^Chris Dickens, the film's original editor,[6] was replaced by Scalia in May 2017 during principal photography.[7]
^Williams composed the Han Solo theme and originalStar Wars music.[8]
^Solo Cup Company is famous for its red "party cups",[93] which George Lucas has stated may have helped inspire the character's name.[94]
^The ending ofSolo teases that a "big-shot gangster is putting together a crew" on Tatooine, which media outlets have reported is "clearly implied to be Jabba".[200][201]
^"2018 IFMCA Awards".IFMCA: International Film Music Critics Association. February 6, 2020.Archived from the original on May 7, 2020. RetrievedMarch 31, 2022.
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