Surprising news just now from Lucasfilm, which just posted at starwars.com that the company has parted ways with directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller on the Star Wars stand-alone movie centered on Han Solo due to “creative differences.” Despite the change, Lucasfilm is sticking to the Memorial Day 2018 release date for the film via Disney. Here’s the post:
The Untitled Han Solo film will move forward with a directorial change.
“Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are talented filmmakers who have assembled an incredible cast and crew, but it’s become clear that we had different creative visions on this film, and we’ve decided to part ways. A new director will be announced soon,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm.
“Unfortunately, our vision and process weren’t aligned with our partners on this project. We normally aren’t fans of the phrase ‘creative differences’ but for once this cliché is true. We are really proud of the amazing and world-class work of our cast and crew,” stated Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
The untitled Han Solo film remains scheduled for a May 2018 release.
The stand-alone movie officially began principal photography in February at London’s Pinewood Studios, with Alden Ehrenreich starring in the origin story about the Star Wars character made famous by Harrison Ford. Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca also star.
Written by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan, the film was set to cover events in Han Solo’s life that took place prior to his appearance in 1977’s Star Wars. Lucasfilm already has the Star Wars Expanded Universe line of books and comics featured several novels about the scoundrel’s younger days. It since has been rebranded as Star Wars Legends. The film is the second in the Star Wars stand-alone franchise that began with last year’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.
This movie long has been expected to be titled Han Solo: A Star Wars Story (and that is already branded and known by fans), but Disney and Lucasfilm still are saying the film is untitled.
Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with Kiri Hart, Susan Towner and Will Allegra co-producers and Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin executive producers.
pretty crazy, i thought this was going to be ELITE with them on this….give it to Jordan Peele to finish if you want to keep it elite, otherwise stay poverty…peace out.
RIP this movie is officially screwed
Based on my experience on studio films and in the indie world, whenever I hear about creative differences, it’s always someone messing with the script/idea who shouldn’t be. It’s usually an idiot actor. Not even a Tom Cruise-type who has spent years working on films, or an Affleck/Damon who have proved that they can write.
It’s some moron making it so hard for the true creative(s) on the project, and there are usually obvious mistakes they made to point to.
Leave the damn story/idea/script alone.
Maybe they finally realized there was no need for a young solo movie
Everything wrong with corporate mandated filmmaking is evidenced by this. Kathleen Kennedy runs a sweatshop. Edgar Wright was spared being a factory worker and has made a wonderful, original film.
“Edgar Wright was spared being a factory worker and has made a wonderful, original film.”
That no one is going to watch
Not that making “wonderful, original film” has anything to do with audience size, people are ridiculously excited for Baby Driver.
You and I may ridiculously excited for Baby Driver (and I genuinely am), but that doesn’t mean general audiences are.
I was ridiculously excited for The Nice Guys last year, and thought it was great, but…
Edgar Wright has more fans than you think. Baby Driver is a low budget movie and doesn’t need too much money to make a profit. Edgar prefer to work with a low budget and with creative freedom than work like a slave with a large budget. Mr. Wright is right.
Woah.
WHAT THE FCUK.
Star Wars, the franchise where directors aren’t expected to have a POV at all.
So just like Marvel.
Translation: they are too busy making sitcom bombs for Fox.
THROW money at these guys to take over Fantastic Four, 20th Century Fox!!
Holy cow!
That a real shame. Hopefully they can find someone great, but since this is so last minute I worry they won’t be able to as the job will be very director for hire with somewhat limited creative input. The films actions sequences are probably already pretty far along.
The boys were never qualified to direct this movie. Larry Kasdan should have been hired to direct it after he turned in his script for it. Kathy realized Lord and Miller were not up to the task so she fired them. The alleged “creative differences” is nothing but PR spin to help them save face but anyone who understands how big this movie is will know what happened. Bring in Kasdan let him make the movie the way it should be made he’s a great director and he deserves to direct this starting tomorrow.
What?
If Lawrence Kasdan directs this film it will be like watching ‘Grand Canyon’ in space! Great movie but not Star Wars!
In what galaxy are they not qualified?
There is a disruption in the force….
Having worked with Phil and Chris in multiple projects, I can say they are amazing guys and brilliant directors. This is a “we wouldn’t bow down to kathleeen issue”
This is probably the likely reason. They don’t want their names on w/e garbage Disney was pushing them to make.
Kennedy is the commander of the ship and she has a pretty solid track record. “we wouldn’t bow down to kathleeen issue”? I’m not buying what you are selling.
Something else happened….you don’t get rid of the directors 5 months into shooting.
We will find out at some point.
“I’ve gotta bad feeling about this…”
Disney: We hate challenges!
How can you argue with their track record? Over the last 6 years they’ve had one hit after another with only a few misses. Why would you zing Disney without knowing the facts? From Zootopia to Force Awakens to Guardians of The Galaxy they take huge risks and frequently break the 1 billion mark. Oh, and they risk LOTS of money with their swings, so they have a right to express their thoughts and stand by them.
Phil and Chris are spread way too thin. They have active projects all over town.
I don’t know how they work, but after going on and off The Flash so quickly and now leaving the end of this production are they going to start to get a reputation as being difficult?
Maybe they are best with mid sized films instead of mega-budget blockbusters.
With Lawrence Kasdan writing the script, you think he was the one who had the “creative differences”? Maybe he steps in to direct his own story…. or he gets his son to direct.
Rogue One was hot garbage, this one looks to be yet another flaming pile. Lucasfilm really needs to clean house; those ‘execs’ and members of the ‘story group’ are B-team, at best.