More details emerge from the fallout surrounding the Han Solo movie

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

I can't imagine many of us would have suspected that Phil Lord and Christopher Miller would depart the UNTITLED HAN SOLO STAR WARS ANTHOLOGY FILM with months of principal photography under their belts, but here we are. In a statement, the duo said that, "unfortunately, our vision and process weren’t aligned with our partners on this project." It may be some time before we hear the definitive word on what went on behind the scenes, but new details have emerged via Entertainment Weekly which are beginning to shed some light on why Lord and Miller were shown the door.

When Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were first hired for the Han Solo spin-off, it was expected that they would be bringing a comedic touch to the space opera, but sources told EW that the film began shifting a little further into the realm of comedy than Lucasfilm was comfortable with. The directors were also encouraging "significant improvisation" from the actors, which led to the project straying from the script by Joe and Lawrence Kasdan. A source close to Phil Lord and Christopher Miller said, "they thought they were brought on to make a Phil and Chris movie… Sometimes they just thought the actors could do it differently." Little by little, all the improvisation and new ideas moved the film further from what Lucasfilm had envisioned, but much like ROGUE ONE, it was thought that reshoots would be able to get the film back on track. However, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller allegedly refused to "compromise on what they saw as best for the film [and] the partnership went from strained to fractured." Lucasfilm felt as though the directors had a responsibility to tell the story as it was written, and not drift too far from what fans expect from a STAR WARS film. With neither side willing to compromise, Miller and Lord departed and production was put on hold. Cue the internet freaking out.

Ron Howard's name emerged almost immediately as a possible replacement for Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and earlier today, that news was confirmed. In a statement, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said:

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. 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.

That will leave Ron Howard just over two weeks to get up to speed and come up with a plan to deliver the Han Solo film which Lucasfilm wants. It will be interesting to see how much of the story winds up being reshot, but perhaps we'll never know for sure.

The UNTITLED HAN SOLO STAR WARS ANTHOLOGY FILM is still scheduled for a May 25, 2018 release.