Disney appears to have gotten a system down for producing more films in the “Star Wars” franchise in lesser time than in the old days when George Lucas was in control. Rather than wait for years on end for a new “episode” of a “Star Wars” trilogy, they decided that they can sneak in “Star Wars Story” films in between the numbered episodes focusing on the Skywalker “family” of Jedis.

“Rogue One”, released in 2016 between “VII: The Force Awakens” and “VIII: The Last Jedi”, was one such installment, a direct story prequel of the very first “Star Wars” film from back in 1977.

Next on the menu is a solo film with a young Han Solo (original by Harrison Ford) for 2018. However production seems to have run into a snag, with their supposed co-directors being axed from the project.

Creative differences

The evening of Tuesday June 20 brought a shocking development in the yet-untitled Han Solo “Star Wars” prequel. Lucasfilm announced that Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, who were supposed to direct the planned 2018 film, have decided to leave the production. According to a statement released by Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, although the two have managed to assemble a good cast and crew for the Han Solo movie, their vision ran in direct conflict with what the producers wanted.

Both Lord and Miller have corroborated the official announcement of their departure from the film. In their own public statement the two admitted how the direction they have charted for the next “Star Wars” spinoff could not align with their partners on Lucasfilm. “We normally aren't fans of the phrase 'creative differences' but for once this cliché is true," Miller and Lord said candidly about being release from the production.

They console themselves with their belief that they did gather the best film crew and primary cast possible in order to get the movie to go ahead without them.

Worry and laughs

Lucasfilm’s letting go of Christopher Miller and Phil Lord from the Han Solo film project was met with some concern from “Star Wars” fans on social media, although there was a good deal of ribbing thrown out there as well.

The duo gained prominence for directing “22 Jump Street” and “The Lego Movie”.

Playing the role of a younger Han Solo in his untitled “Star Wars” solo adventure is Alden Ehrenreich. Needless to say he’s got big boots to fill taking on the iconic sci-fi character immortalized by Harrison Ford, who portrayed Han in the original trilogy from 1977 to 1983 and once more in 2015’s “The Force Awakens”. The Han Solo spinoff will premiere in May 2018.
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