Star Wars: Ron Howard to Take Over Han Solo?

Following word that has directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller exiting production on Han Solo, the latest rumor has Oscar winning filmmaker Ron Howard seeking to take over. Serving as the next Star Wars anthology film following the blockbuster success that greeted Rogue One: A Star Wars Story last December, Lord and Miller were all set to deliver a thrilling coming-0f-age story centering around everyone’s favorite smuggler, thief, and scoundrel as he becomes the man that Harrison Ford portrayed in the original franchise.

Most recently, production on Han Solo had been moving forward at a rapid clip, with plenty of behind-the-scenes photos and working title logos being revealed. Nevertheless, the celebrated team that brought the likes of The LEGO Movie to life are not long for the Star Wars franchise — though another prominent director may already be eyeing the recently vacated director’s chair.

According to Deadline, none other than Ron Howard is currently being courted by the powers that be at Disney to take over as the director of Han Solo. Even though Howard is concurrently tied up with an untitled Luciano Pavarotti biopic and work on adapting the non-fiction literary sensation Hillbilly Elegy, it would appear that the filmmaker may be in line to take over for Lord and Miller.

Considering the fact that Lord and Miller were fired from the forthcoming Star Wars anthology after reportedly clashing on-set with both producer Kathleen Kennedy and longtime series screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, it’s more likely than not that someone like Howard will be officially assigned to take over as the director of Han Solo very soon. And after seeing Tony Gilroy brought in for extensive reshoots on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, it’s becoming quickly apparent that there may be some trouble in paradise behind the scenes of one of the most beloved science fiction properties of all time.

Given Howard’s outstanding professional resume, as both an actor and a director, the seasoned Hollywood veteran would definitely be a good bet for taking over a major motion picture with as much popular clout as Han Solo in the eyes of Kennedy and Kasdan. Right now, it’s not entirely clear just how extensive any potential replacement’s workload would be on the film, but considering both the massive expectations for the Han Solo and the unprecedented nature of the previous directors’ departure this late in production, hiring an experienced hand is going to be just the first step in cleaning up what sounds like a very messy situation.



ScreenRant