Ron Howard has stepped in to direct Lucasfilm and Disney's untitled Han Solo movie, Lucasfilm announced on Thursday.
"At Lucasfilm, we believe the highest goal of each film is to delight, carrying forward the spirit of the saga that George Lucas began forty years ago," said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. "With that in mind, we're thrilled to announce that Ron Howard will step in to direct the untitled Han Solo film. We have a wonderful script, an incredible cast and crew, and the absolute commitment to make a great movie. Filming will resume the 10th of July."
Howard takes over the director chair just two days after Phil Lord and Chris Miller were let go from the "Star Wars" spinoff. The directors had been at the wheel of the film, starring Alden Ehrenreich in the role that Harrison Ford made famous, for nearly two years. Physical production commenced in late January in the U.K., and the men completed nearly 17 weeks of shooting through May.
Here are three things you need to know about the abrupt exit of the "21 Jump Street" and "Lego Movie" directors from the Untitled Han Solo Star Wars Anthology Film:
Also Read: Phil Lord and Chris Miller Met With DC About 'The Flash' During Han Solo Hiatus (Exclusive)
1. "Creative Differences" Is True (for Once)
"Creative differences" is the Hollywood version of "irreconcilable differences" — or a very polite way to tell judge and jury you'd rather die than stay in your marriage.
In the case of the Han Solo spinoff, however, it's actually true. Lord and Miller had a vision for the movie that greatly differed from that of Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, an individual familiar with the conflict told TheWrap.
They have also tended to work in a more improvisational style on previous projects like the "21 Jump Street" movies and "The Lego Movie" which may not have fit with the more scripted approach favored by high-profile studio franchise movies.
Kennedy, whose name and face is now as synonymous with "Star Wars" as the Stormtrooper helmet since she took over the franchise after Disney's acquisition in 2012, brought the ax down on the directors after weeks of tension that reached a boiling point in late May, a second insider said.
Also Read: Did Alden Ehrenreich Edge Out Harry Styles for Han Solo?
Individual statements from Lord and Miller and Kennedy calmly and politely said "creative differences" were at the heart of their split.
It's worth noting that Lord and Miller were fired — which signals that, whatever Kennedy's vision of the Han Solo spinoff turns out to be, she's not budging.
"We normally aren't fans of the phrase," Lord and Miller said. "But for once this cliché is true."
2. Lucasfilm Says Release Date Won't Change (Side-Eye Emoji)
The Untitled Han Solo project "remains scheduled for a May 2018 release," according to Lucasfilm.
The project still has weeks of filming to complete, another individual close to set said, though the majority of principal photography was completed in London in May. Ehrenreich, in the title role, has no other project on deck making him available for reshoots (almost routinely scheduled in advance for projects of this size).
Donald Glover, who stars as a young Lando Calrissian, is working on Jon Favreau's "The Lion King," but that's a voice role.
It's hard to fathom a timely release with a workflow disruption of this size, but the statement also promised a new director would be named imminently. Which leads us to …
Also Read: Phil Lord and Chris Miller Exit Star Wars 'Han Solo' Spinoff
3. Job Opening
Howard's appointment inspires its own mess of questions.
Lord and Miller completed preproduction phases and most of the shoot — meaning Howard will need to carry the film across the finish line with likely permanent over-the-shoulder guidance from Kennedy.
Howard's name had immediately been floated in several media reports as a potential replacement.
