On May 25, the second stand-alone film in the Disney era of Star Wars hits theaters. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” has been shrouded in mystery for the better part of a year after directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller got booted from the project and replaced by Hollywood staple Ron Howard. Following the swap, reshoots of the film, rumors from on-set of a looming box office catastrophe, and damaging reports of a poor performance by Alden Ehrenreich (taking up the fabled role of Han Solo made famous by Harrison Ford) — fans and industry insiders have been unnerved by the delay in marketing for “Solo.”
On Monday, that wait came to an end with the release of the first theatrical trailer, starring Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover as the ever sly Lando Calrissian. Ready or not, we are getting a Han Solo origin story.
Check out the full trailer below.
Here are some takeaways:
Han Solo the Imperial drop out
Disney may have thrown out the old Extended Universe of Star Wars, but in this trailer reveal we are reminded once again that they will draw on elements from the old canon to tell these stories.
Han Solo has apparently been on the streets conning people since he was 10 years old. In line with what avid fans remember, he appears to approach the Empire to enlist as a pilot. It’s unclear whether this is genuine or part of an elaborate ruse by Solo, but try to imagine the beloved rebel in an Imperial uniform. He says “I was kicked out of the flight academy for having a mind of my own.” That sounds like the Han we all know.
Audiences also get a preview of the famous Han Solo swagger and unhealthy levels of self-confidence in his interactions with Emilia Clarke’s new character, Qi’ra. The chances of Han Solo successfully navigating this new relationship without being slapped is somewhere around 3,720 to 1.
Lando rightfully steals the show
We only see him briefly in this first trailer and Sunday night’s teaser, but Donald Glover is getting the bulk of the hype for this movie. Perhaps it his uncanny likeness to Billy Dee Williams and Lando Calrissian, or the sheer power of his fashion sensibilities, but Glover has the Star Wars loyal excited.
Star Wars author Chuck Wendig channels it perfectly in this tweet:
AND, DONALD GLOVER AS LANDO is pretty much guaranteeing my money’s worth right there. So, I’m in.
— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) February 5, 2018
The level of excitement around Lando even has some notable fans wondering why this isn’t his origin story instead of Han Solo’s. There is no doubt in my mind that reluctance to embrace Ehrenreich’s Solo is connected to audiences love of the iconic actor Harrison Ford. Glover enjoys not only more known talent, but a character he can settle into without all the baggage that comes with Solo.
New worlds and new faces
The most exciting part about a new Star Wars movie is getting lost in its expansive and colorful universe. “Solo” takes us to Han Solo’s world of origin, known to longtime fans as Corellia. It’s a planet known for bustling trade, innovative rail transportation (seen above), and icy mountains surrounding warm, alluring plains and oceans.
The trailer introduced us to Beckett, a new trouble-making character depicted by Woody Harrelson. It seems as though Beckett is assembling a team for a heist, and Han Solo is tapped to be the pilot. There is no telling where this story could go, but a Star Wars version of Ocean’s Eleven sounds brilliant.
Disney and LucasFilm are up against relatively low expectations for a Star Wars film, and Alden Ehrenreich is taking center stage to be loved or loathed by fans for years to come. This could play to their advantage in the long-run and as critics begin to see the movie this spring.
We’ll find out soon enough when “Solo” opens in theaters on May 25. May the Force be with us all.
Stephen Kent (@Stephen_Kent89) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. He is the spokesperson for Young Voices and host of Beltway Banthas, a Star Wars & politics podcast in D.C.
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