It’s been widely reported that Alden Ehrenreich has been cast as the young Han Solo in a new standalone (some might say solo) film focusing on the scruffy-looking nerf herder’s younger days.
Ehrenreich is perhaps best known for his recent role in Joel and Ethan Coen’s Hail, Caesar!, along with Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine, Park Chan-Wook’s Stoker and Francis Ford Coppola’s Tetro and Twixt.
Very few details have been announced about the nature of the role, or the exact time period that this will be taking, but the film is currently set for a 25 May 2018 release date. The screenplay about as less Harrison Ford-ish Solo is written by Lawrence Kasdan, and will be directed by typically comedic directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
While online commentators seem to be nodding in approval at a casting choice that was rumoured months ago, fan decisions as to whether the recasting of an iconic role is wise. The Star Wars franchise has done this before with Ewan McGregor playing a young version of Alec Guinness’ Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequel trilogy, but the simple fact of the matter is that we know what Harrison Ford looked like in 1977. The proof will be in the pudding, presumably served with a side of blue milk.
Until then, the prehistory of Star Wars will continue to be explored in this year’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a film concentrating on the stealing of the plans to the Death Star, and serving as a direct entrée to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
