Ron Howard steps in to direct Han Solo spinoff
Former child star-turned-director taking over after original directors dismissed
Hollywood heavyweight Ron Howard has stepped in to helm the forthcoming Han Solo film, days after Lucasfilm cut loose original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller over "creative differences" on the anticipated Star Wars spinoff.
Howard, an Oscar-winner for A Beautiful Mind and known for credits as wide-ranging as Cocoon, Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code, Frost/Nixon and Rush, will start immediately, Lucasfilm said Thursday.
The former Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days actor-turned-filmmaker has a bit of history with Lucasfilm. He appeared in founder George Lucas's classic film American Graffiti and directed the fantasy tale Willow.
"We have a wonderful script, an incredible cast and crew, and the absolute commitment to make a great movie," said Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, adding that filming will resume July 10.
Disney reiterated the film's release date of May 25 next year, suggesting that — at least for now — the Star Wars spinoff will be completed on schedule. Representatives for the studio declined to comment.
How producers and the Directors Guild of America handle the film's directing credit will also be closely watched. DGA rules govern the crediting of directors.
Earlier this week, Kennedy announced that the studio was parting ways with Lord and Miller. The pair had been filming the untitled project in London since January 2017, with several weeks left on the shoot schedule and was believed to be three-quarters finished shooting a script by Star Wars veteran Lawrence Kasdan and his son, Jon Kasdan.
The movie stars Alden Ehrenreich as the young space smuggler Han Solo, first introduced in Star Wars: A New Hope and played by Harrison Ford. The cast includes Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian as well as Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke and Thandie Newton.
Lord and Miller are known for smart adaptations of unlikely properties such as The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street. But reports have circulated that the duo, who favour improvisation and irreverent humour, clashed with Kennedy and Kasdan.
"Unfortunately, our vision and process weren't aligned with our partners on this project. We normally aren't fans of the phrase 'creative differences' but for once this cliché is true," the directors said in a joint statement Tuesday.
"We are really proud of the amazing and world class work of our cast and crew."
The Han Solo film is the second Star Wars anthology film after 2016's Rogue One. These titles are considered separate from the current "main trilogy," which includes The Force Awakens and the upcoming The Last Jedi.
With files from CBC News