Review Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

[Doctor Omega]

The “Solo” Directing Credit Has Been Sorted





Following their firing after completing most of the movie, there’s been a big question over “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and the matter of how original helmers Phil Miller and Chris Lord will be credited.

The pair were replaced by Ron Howard who then subsequently reshot a bunch of the movie. That said, there’s still a lot of Lord and Miller’s work in there according to actors involved. Was it enough though to receive a directing credit?

Speaking at the third annual GLAS Animation Festival in California, Lord and Miller revealed what their final official credited involvement will be. It seems the pair will be credited as executive producers, while Howard will receive the sole directing credit. They say: “We were really proud of the many contributions we made to that film. In light of the creative differences, we elected to take an executive producer credit.”

Additionally, leaks from the “Solo” merchandise range have revealed that Lucasfilm has gone back into the old and abandoned expanded universe for some villains to use in the film – specifically The Cloud-Rider gang and their leader Enfys Nest.

The full-length “Solo” trailer is expected to arrive next month ahead of the “Avengers: Infinity War” release in late April. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” opens on May 25th.

 

[Doctor Omega]

“Solo” Posters Switch & Reshoot Talk





Though initially lauded, the first batch of poster art for Ron Howard’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” hit a controversy in regards to claims of plagiarism. As a result, a second batch was produced keeping much of the same art but just presenting it in a different way.

Now a third round of the posters has been released, this time the blasters that each of the characters were proudly brandishing have been removed. The erasure is expected to be tied to the intensified gun debate in the wake of the Florida school shooting which culminated with a nationwide march this past weekend.

The posters come as a Vulture report has gone up from an apparent actor from the production. While the report mostly just re-iterates old rumors and covers no new ground, a brief quote does suggest that despite the change of directors on the film there won’t be much difference in terms of onscreen content:

“It’s exactly the same script. They’re filming exactly the same things. There’s nothing new. [Lord and Miller] used whole sets. But Ron is just using parts from those sets. I guess they’re not shooting wide angle. Maybe to save money.”

The same source also claims that the Alden Ehrenreich acting coach talk was true, but for a very specific reason – namely Lucasfilm wanted something ‘very specific’ with “his performance to be as close to the original Harrison Ford role as possible” and ultimately Ehrenreich “became more relaxed…he became more Harrison-like” after the coach.

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” will be released on May 25th.

 

[Doctor Omega]

 

[Doctor Omega]

Full Trailer....

 

[Doctor Omega]

 

[Doctor Omega]

TV Spot....

 

[Doctor Omega]

TV Spot....

Got to admit, I like the "card peek" moment with Chewie near the end.

 

[Doctor Omega]

New Details & TV Spot





A little over a month out from release, new details and material from Ron Howard’s “Star Wars” spin-off “Solo” has arrived today. First up the film’s screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan and Jonathan Kasdan chatted with The Star Wars Show and confirmed that they wrote out all of Chewbacca’s lines in the script so Alden Ehrenreich as Han would know what was being said to him and could play off that.

Additionally Lawrence Kasdan tells Empire that he sees the film as a love story of sorts between Han and Chewie:

“It’s a love story. Obviously, they don’t automatically trust each other and become friends. But that’s all the meat of a good story. To me, this is a love story between Han and Chewie. Their relationship has always been my favorite part of the saga, and the fact that only Han understands what Chewie is saying, I find a very funny possibility for comedy … Wookiees have so many positive qualities. But what they don’t do is make it easy for you to get in.”

The film’s director Ron Howard also spoke with the outlet and says he wanted Ehrenreich’s approach to involve tapping into the nature of Han Solo as opposed to Harrison Ford: “It was always clear from the beginning, before I was involved, that it was not going to be an impression of Harrison. No one wanted that. Part of Han Solo’s character is sort of a vibe and a feel and a body language.”

Next comes a new TV spot titled ‘Risk’ which gives us more time with Donald Glover’s Lando than the previous clips have to date.

 

[Doctor Omega]

Just been reading the comments on the above "Risk" trailer..

The tide seems to be turning - and this forthcoming films seems to be growing on people....

Who would have thought?

If you were unhappy at this when it was announced, are you now wavering?

Or are you sticking to your guns?

 

[Doctor Omega]

TV Spot....

 

[chainsaw_metal1]

 

[Doctor Omega]

 

[The Seeker]

I’m sticking to my guns. Not gonna watch this movie.

 

[Gavin]

I suspect that this will be the first Star Wars movie I haven't seen at the cinema. Unless it gets some exceptional word of mouth once its released, then I might change my mind. But given limited finances and a fair number of other movies I'm actually interested in it's unlikely.

 

[Doctor Omega]

A clip.....

 

[Doctor Omega]

A tv spot.....

 

[Doctor Omega]

Watching these clips.... Watching everything....

The spectre of Harrison Ford just will not go away.

Poor Alden can try all his acting tricks, training, coaching -

His own approach, with a bold new interpretation of Solo....

A guided approach... with acting coaches telling him how to do this damned character.....

Unfair or not, I don't think any of it matters.....

I don't think any approaches will hit the ball out of the park.

He is not Harrison Ford.

And I for one cannot get past that fact.

With how this film is looking that is clearly going to be my loss. It looks really well made and is a visual delight and the film and characters around Alden look like great popcorn fun.

But it is honestly how I feel, as I look at the latest clip and am pulled - once again - out of it by the fact that he is simply not Harrison Ford.

At the end of the day I think it is going to maybe be my loss as I ultimately fail to connect with this film, which I will still likely go to see at the cinema, despite this fatal misgiving.

My justification for going will be that I might enjoy the film around him. But I am not even sure of that being certain.

 

[Gavin]

Watching these clips.... Watching everything....

The spectre of Harrison Ford just will not go away.

Poor Alden can try all his acting tricks, training, coaching -

His own approach, with a bold new interpretation of Solo....

A guided approach... with acting coaches telling him how to do this damned character.....

Unfair or not, I don't think any of it matters.....

I don't think any approaches will hit the ball out of the park.

He is not Harrison Ford.

And I for one cannot get past that fact.

With how this film is looking that is clearly going to be my loss. It looks really well made and is a visual delight and the film and characters around Alden look like great popcorn fun.

But it is honestly how I feel, as I look at the latest clip and am pulled - once again - out of it by the fact that he is simply not Harrison Ford.

At the end of the day I think it is going to maybe be my loss as I ultimately fail to connect with this film, which I will still likely go to see at the cinema, despite this fatal misgiving.

My justification for going will be that I might enjoy the film around him. But I am not even sure of that being certain.

I think the idea of trying to replace Harrison Ford as Han Solo is where this film will struggle. The concept of a prequel showing a young Han Solo is reasonable. The clips I've seen look like it might even be a decent story. It certainly looks good. And I suspect that the issue will only be for those of us who grew up with Star Wars. Newer viewers, even those who came in with the prequels probably don't have the sentimental attachment to the originals that us "older" folks have. So the film will probably make decent money. But like @Doctor Omega I don't think I'll be able to get past the recasting. I imagine it would be the same for Indiana Jones, which there's been rumours of a desire to recast for some time. That might be even worse because at least in Star Wars, Harrison Ford was only one of a few leads. Indiana Jones was entirely him.

 

[Doctor Omega]

“Solo” Success Will Determine Sequels





Filmmaker Ron Howard has confirmed the fairly obvious – should “Solo: A Star Wars Story” be a hit, then prepare for a sequel or two.

Previously the film’s star Alden Ehrenreich, who plays a younger version of Harrison Ford’s character, confirmed he had signed on for multiple “Star Wars” films when he took the role.

Speaking with Fandango this week, Howard says there aren’t any definite plans for “Solo” sequels but should the demand arise, plans will be made:

“I think the fans are going to define all of that. I mean I think that Lucasfilm and Disney in casting actors, and particularly younger actors, want to see what happens and build upon that. Certainly, they want the commitment from the young actors, but there are no concrete plans. I think there’s been a lot of creative energy and now marketing energy going behind this movie.

I think [Disney and Lucasfilm are] going to be very interested to see how people respond to it and take it from there. This whole thing is kind of a cool, ambitious exploration of what the galaxy and the Star Wars sensibility can continue to mean to fans.”

The film is set a full decade before the events of “Star Wars: A New Hope,” which allows for further adventures of young Han Solo. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” opens in cinemas on May 25th.

 

[Doctor Omega]

“Solo” Sequel & Lando Spin-Off Discussion





A bit over one week out from the release of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and the film has garnered enough reviews that it has racked up a 71% (6.4/10) score on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s the third weakest score for a “Star Wars” film to date, behind only the first two prequels, even though plenty of reviews seem to like the film.

The easy majority are positive, just softly so and suggest a fun if shallow ride with good performances. Indeed Donald Glover’s young Lando Calrissian steals the show according to some of the reviews, which has led to talk of a possible spin-off.

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy spoke to Premiere France this week and, after a mistranslation of a quote was cleared up, says she would like to do a Lando Calrissian film some day – but there are no plans for it as the next spin-off film.FanthaTracks reports that filming on an Obi-Wan spin-off will take place at Pinewood Studios from April next year.

Jonathan Kasdan, who co-wrote the “Solo” script, told Screen Rant he’s “dying to see a Lando film” and would help in any way asked of him. Glover himself was also asked by that outlet what he’d like to see in a young Lando movie to which he responded:

“I really just want to see him, like doing all of that. Still doing anything. Like, I think that would just be fun to just see him just like… Because like, we see him change so much… He’s just like, I think charismatic and people are like, you know what, you should own this city. You should own Cloud City, like that kind of thing, or like winning. So I think it would be just nice to see like, oh, like I’m a General, and now I’m mad at this hotel, and then now, I’m just like… I think that will be just funny but also cool to see like how far charm gets you. Almost like a Catch Me If You Can. A space Catch Me If You Can."

Finally today comes a new making-of featurette for the film which explores some of the visual effects, production design, cinematography, costuming and more from the production. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” opens in cinemas on May 25th.