Just over a week remains until Solo: A Star Wars Story, the latest installment in Disney’s new Star Wars canon, is released in theaters. But even so, there’s already been talk of a potential sequel.
Fans have learned that leading man Alden Ehrenreich (Han Solo) has made a deal with Lucasfilm to portray everyone’s favorite scruffy-looking nerf herder in at least two more movies. Whether he gets the chance to do so or not depends mostly on how Solo: A Star Wars Story is received by the fanbase though. Nevertheless, in a recent interview, director Ron Howard expressed interest in returning to that galaxy far, far away to finish what he started.
To say it would be bold of the filmmaker to continue the story of young Han Solo is an understatement. After all, many people in the Star Wars community aren’t sure what to make of the newest interpretation of this beloved character, and are rightfully nervous about the upcoming Anthology pic. Still, when asked how he would go about telling more Solo-centric stories, Howard responded as follows:
“There are so many possibilities…[Director of photography Bradford Young] see[s] the possibilities for scenes and ideas…[W]e know where [Han Solo]’s headed and it would be intriguing to navigate him there.”
By his own admission, Ron Howard’s favorite aspect of Solo: A Star Wars Story is that it reveals information to fans about who its titular character is and how he becomes the charming scoundrel with whom we’re all familiar. This is done in logical and unexpected ways, perfectly representing the director’s mindset in regards to making sequels to his first Star Wars film:
“[T]hat ought to be the litmus test for anything going forward, which is can you head in a direction that feels right and authentic and do it in a surprising way.”
As we said above, audiences alone will determine the fate and legacy of Solo: A Star Wars Story. If those early box office projections hold steady though, Lucasfilm could very well have another trilogy on its hands, albeit one that may struggle to make an impact when compared to George Lucas’ Star Wars movies or the ongoing trilogy helmed by J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson.
Whether for, against, or indifferent towards continuing the adventures of young Han, fans can enjoy his thrilling first adventure when Solo: A Star Wars Story flies into theaters on May 25th, 2018.