Solo: A Star Wars Story, all you need to know about the latest Star Wars movie

Announced in 2013, the Han Solo standalone film was supposed to be the first of a series of movies called Anthology. These movies were supposed to explore the origins of some of Star Wars’ most important and popular character, like Han Solo and Boba Fett. The Boba Fett movie is nowhere to be seen, but Solo: A Star Wars Story is coming to the big screen on May 25, 2018. Here’s all you need to know to be ready for the most recent installment in the Star Wars franchise.

The premise.

Solo: A Star Wars Story aims to show how a young Han Solo became the smuggler of intergalactic renown that Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi meet in Mos Eisley's cantina. The movie is set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, as the Empire is in control of the galaxy after the fall of the Republic. A young Han Solo and his best friend and first mate Chewbacca are mentored by Tobias Beckett, a famous space criminal. During their adventure, they’ll eventually meet Lando Calrissian, Han’s friend introduced to us in The Empire Strikes Back. This is all we know so far about the plot, but Lucasfilm called the movie a space-western. We can expect an action-packed movie with classic Star Wars humor and adventure.

The cast.

As for the cast, the production and the fans are confident that the actors chosen will fit their roles.

• Alden Ehrenreich is Han Solo. This young actor starred in Joel and Ethan Coen’s movie Hail, Caesar! alongside Ralph Fiennes, George Clooney and Josh Brolin. His choice to portray a young Han Solo was controverted, but most fans point out that anyone chosen to replace Harrison Ford would have been criticized anyway. Ehrenreich received help and advice from Ford himself as part of his preparation for the role.
• Donald Glover is Lando Calrissian. This young comedian, actor, and singer is one of today’s most proficient artists. Extremely popular after his “This is America” music video, his choice to portray the charismatic Lando Calrissian greatly pleased the fans. He also got a visit from Billy Dee Williams, the original Lando, who gave him insights and pieces of advice.
• Woody Harrelson is Tobias Beckett. Having a major movie star like Woody Harrelson to serve as Han Solo’s mentor seems like an obvious choice. The rough and charismatic actor seems perfectly fit for the role of an aging criminal taking Han under his wing.
• Emilia Clarke is Qi'ra. The actress rose to fame for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in the worldwide hit series Game of Thrones. In Solo: A Star Was Movie, she is a glamorous woman who grew up with Han Solo. The two got separated for reasons we’ll discover in the movie.
• Paul Bettany is Dryden Vos. Michael K. Williams was supposed to play the crime lord Dryden Vos but was removed due to his inability to return to set for the film’s reshoots. Paul Bettany was chosen to replace him as the movie’s villain.
• Joonas Suotamo is Chewbacca: the Finnish actor replaced Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca for the new trilogy, starting in The Force Awakens. Of course, a movie about Han Solo couldn’t have left Chewie out of the picture. In Solo: A Star Wars Movie, we’ll learn more about the friendship between our two beloved smugglers.

The first Star Wars Anthology movie.

Here’s all you need to know about Solo: A Stars Wars Story. With a golden cast and a cool premise, the movie seems to be loyal to Star Wars’ legacy. The fans will judge the movie by themselves in theaters on May 25th. If you’re looking for a Han Solo T-shirt to wear for the movie premiere, check out our merch here on Nutees!