Lucasfilm confirmed Tuesday that the studio is developing a spinoff Star Wars film about a young Han Solo, and the project will be helmed by The Lego Movie directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Their credits also include Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street, and 22 Jump Street.
The studio released a synopsis for the anthology film:
“The story focuses on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley.”
“This is the first film we’ve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with,” Lord and Miller said in a statement. “We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us. This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where you’re late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise you’ve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all.”
The screenplay for the film was penned by father-son team Lawrence and Jon Kasdan. Lawrence Kasdan is already familiar with writing for the Star Wars franchise, having co-written the screenplays for The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and The Force Awakens.
“We’re so excited to be working with Chris and Phil, who will bring a fresh new dimension to the Star Wars universe,” the Kasdans said in a joint statement. “They’re two of the smartest, funniest and most original filmmakers around, and the ideal choice to tell the story of Han Solo, one of the coolest characters in the galaxy.”
The film is slated to be released May 25, 2018.
