If rumours were to be believed, the 2nd “Star Wars” anthology movie will tell the origin story of Boba Fett, the intergalactic bounty hunter that’s a fan favourite.
“Fantastic Four” director Josh Trank was supposed to helm that movie, but he departed from the project due to personal reasons. While the replacement search is still ongoing, Lucasfilm announced that they’re planning to develop another anthology movie. But this time around, it will focus on Han Solo, the smuggler whom Boba Fett was sent to capture in the original trilogy.
Following the success of “The LEGO Movie” franchise, Christopher Miller and Phil Lord are on board to helm the Han Solo standalone movie.
The duo are “looking forward to applying their unique creative chemistry” for the movie, as they said in an official statement:
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 critically-acclaimed directors were among the most sought-after filmmakers in Hollywood, as Lucasfilm said in their official statement that they “have proven a formidable duo on the multiple films they’ve collaborated on” such as “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”, “21 Jump Street”, and “22 Jump Street”.
The anthology movie will be based on a script co-written by writer-director Lawrence Kasdan and his son, Jon Kasdan. It will focus on “how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley”.
In an official statement released by Lucasfilm, the Kasdans said:
We’re so excited to be working with Chris and Phil, who will bring a fresh new dimension to the Star Wars universe. 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.
Best known for his works on “The Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Grand Canyon”, Lawrence was among the writers who co-wrote the screenplays for the old and new “Star Wars” movies, including “The Empire Strikes Back”, “Return of the Jedi”, and “The Force Awakens”. On the other hand, Jon was the director of 2007’s “In The Land of Women” and 2012’s “The First Time”. His writing credits include “Freaks and Geeks” and “Dawson’s Creek”.
Lawrence will be executive producing the movie alongside Jason McGatlin. Will Allegra will co-produce it with Kathleen Kennedy, who also shared her excitement in the official statement.
She said “she can’t wait to discover what’s in store from these 2 extraordinary teams of directors and writers”, adding:
It’s not just any filmmaker who can tell the story of such a beloved icon like Han Solo, and I’m excited to say we’ve found the perfect team to handle the task. Larry and Jon know all there is to know about the character, and Chris and Phil will bring their wit, style, energy and heart to tell Han’s story.
Lord and Miller are currently working on Warner Bros’ “The Flash” and LEGO-branded films, which are slated for release over the next 4 years. The spin-off films, “LEGO Ninjago” and “LEGO Batman”, are slated for release on 23rd September 2016 and 26th May 2017 respectively. The sequel for “The LEGO Movie” is set to be released in 2018.
They will also be directing the animated “Spider-Man” film, which is slated for release on 20th July 2018.
The new anthology movie is slated for release on 25th May 2018, but it is unclear who will play the young Han Solo, a character played by Harrison Ford in the original trilogy. Who do you think should join the cast? Let us know in the comments section below.
