HAN SOLO (2018): Ron Howard to Take Over Directing STAR WARS Anthology Film

Ron Howard Takes Over Directing Han Solo Star Wars Film

Ron Howard has officially stepped in to direct the Han Solo Star Wars film for Lucasfilm and the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. People’s interest in the stand-alone Han Solo film went up dramatically today with this announcement. After vapid, fan-boy porn Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was released, desire for more “A Star Wars Story” films began to wane. Ron Howard’s introduction into the mix changes the situation in a positive way. Ron Howard is responsible for some of the best films in the last three decades: Cinderella Man, A Beautiful Mind, Backdraft, Apollo 13, etc.

Ron Howard’s hiring news follows Christopher Miller and Phil Lord “departing” (or being fired) from the Han Solo film with three weeks left to the production of the film.

Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, had this to say about Ron Howard’s hiring:

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.

Since the Untitled Han Solo Star Wars Anthology Film is three-fourths of the way completed, Howard’s role in the director’s chair will be rather specific:

Howard will work with Kennedy and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan to figure out what needs fixing, and will look over a rough cut of the film and meet with the cast this week. Just three weeks were left of the film’s principal photography, with five weeks of reshoots already built into the schedule for later this year.

This sounds striking what happened with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story when Kennedy and individuals at Disney saw a rough cut of that film, didn’t like what they saw, and ordered reshoots (or the per-arranged reshoot time was activated). We all know how the final film turned out. Bringing in a heavy-hitter like Ron Howard tells those that are watching Han Solo‘s production that Disney does not plan on a repeat of history.

Untitled Han Solo Star Wars Anthology Film stars Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Michael Kenneth Williams, Joonas Suotamo, Richard Dixon, and Deepak Anand.

Leave your thoughts on Ron Howard directing the remainder of the Han Solo stand-alone prequel film below in the comments section. Readers seeking more movie news can visit our Movie News Page. Readers seeking more Star Wars can visit our Star Wars Page, our Star Wars Google+, and our Star Wars Facebook. The Untitled Han Solo Star Wars Anthology Film will be released in U.S. theaters through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures on May 25, 2018. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, and Facebook.