Many fans rejoiced when Disney bought Lucasfilm and produced Star Wars: The Force Awakens, regarded by many (including myself) as a triumphant return to the franchise. But Disney is a business first and foremost. With that in mind, I always knew that there would be a point where the business and the art would collide to create problems. For the next century, Disney is going to milk Star Wars for everything. As long as the consumers keep coming, they'll keep producing. It's a great business model and an easy one. However, that means that Disney is occasionally going to make something that the die-hard fans don't want. Young Han Solo is the prime example of that. When it was announced that beloved LEGO Movie filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller were tackling a movie about the young life of rogue smuggler Han Solo, played by the iconic Harrison Ford in four Star Wars movies, many fans were vehemently opposed to the idea. And yet, Disney will still press forward with it, because it'll make a billion dollars. Unfortunately, they still have a real uphill PR battle to climb with this film. It's going to take a lot of convincing to make people believe that this is a movie worth seeing.
For a lot of people, it was going to come down to the casting. The young actor playing Han Solo would set the course for success or failure. Late last week, after months of rumors that involved nearly every young actor in Hollywood, the decision was made- Alden Ehrenreich will be playing Han Solo. Ehrenreich isn't a superstar by any stretch, but if you've seen any of his work, I can't imagine that you're anything but psyched by this decision. Look, I'm not entirely on board with the idea of a spin-off movie involving Han Solo. Honestly, I really don't think I need to know about the childhood of one of the most iconic characters in movie history. But if you're gonna do it, do it right. So far, with the directorial choice of Lord and Miller, and the casting of Ehrenreich, Lucasfilm is on the right track. Ehrenreich stood out amidst a sea of giants in the Coen Brothers' terrific Hail, Caesar!, and there were many moments where he flat-out stole the show as Hobie Doyle. He's a charismatic and funny young actor, and I have a feeling that he'll disappear into this role. My excitement for this film is slowly growing.
The untitled Young Han Solo anthology film will debut on May 25, 2018.
Image Credits: Joblo
The untitled Young Han Solo anthology film will debut on May 25, 2018.
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