Han Solo Directors Talk Grueling Casting Process and Reveal Filming Plans

Han Solo is getting back in action — and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller say that despite a grueling casting process, their ultimate choice was the first person they saw.

"We turned over every rock to find someone who has the charisma and magic swagger," Lord said at Star Wars Celebration Europe Sunday. Added Miller, onstage: "But it was a waste of money because the person to get the part was literally the first person to walk through the door."

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy joked she'd take the cost of the auditions from their pay.

The duo then introduced star Alden Ehrenreich, who is playing the iconic captain of the Millennium Falcon. The young actor was cast after an extensive search, which saw 2,500 young men vie to fill the role first played by Harrison Ford in 1977's Star Wars: A New Hope. Though news of his casting broke in May, this was the first time Lucasfilm confirmed the news officially.

"I auditioned for about six months. The coolest part of that audition process was, I went on the Falcon," Ehrenreich said. "It’s pretty unbelievable."

He screen tested with Chewbacca and the Falcon, which proved to be a unique experience.

"I’ve never screen tested with a Wookie. It was amazing," said Ehrenreich.

Directors Lord and Miller moved to London two days ago to begin work on the project, and they are still writing the script with Lawrence Kasdan and his son Jon. They expect to begin filming in late January or early February 2017 — and say there will be plenty of droids on the set.

"It's a dream come true," Miller told the crowd.

Speaking of the lead character, Lord said that Solo was a "maverick, a scoundrel ... clever but not smart"

"He doesn't want to do anything that he's told, and if he's told not to do something, he only wants to do it more," he added. "He's very sarcastic and yet unreasonably optimistic. He's basically a cynical guy with the biggest heart in the galaxy and one of the most iconic characters of all time."

The Han Solo team appeared onstage with Star Wars: Episode VIII director Rian Johnson, along with Lucasfilm president Kennedy, svp development Kiri Hart and Star Wars Story Group executive Pablo Hidalgo for Sunday's "Future Filmmakers Panel." The panel was the culmination of the three-day event, and despite the heavy hitters on stage, no big news was announced, leaving some fans disappointed there was no reveal of a title for Episode VIII or word of another standalone film.

The Han Solo film is expected to be released in 2018.

DONALD GLOVER CAST AS YOUNG LANDO CALRISSIAN IN UPCOMING HAN SOLO STAR WARS STAND-ALONE FILM

'Star Wars': Emilia Clarke Cast in Han Solo Stand-Alone Movie

Games of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke has been cast in the upcoming stand-alone Han Solo film, according to the official Star Wars website.

"StarWars.com is excited to announce that Clarke, known for her stirring portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in HBO's Game of Thrones, will join the upcoming untitled Han Solo Star Wars movie. Clarke’s role will round out a dynamic cast of characters that Han and Chewie will encounter on their adventures," announced the site.

Clarke joins Alden Ehrenreich, who is playing Solo, and Donald Glover, who recently was cast as a young Lando Calrissian.

Creed star Tessa Thompson, Divergent film-series actress Zoe Kravitz, Power Rangers' Naomi Scott and Emerald City's Adria Arjona have all been in the running for a part in the film. It's unclear if Clarke has been cast in the female lead role they tested for or if she is playing a different character.

The untitled Han Solo movie, with directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, is set for a 2018 release.

'Star Wars': Woody Harrelson in Early Talks to Join Alden Ehrenreich in Han Solo Stand-Alone Film

Woody Harrelson is in early talks to join Alden Ehrenreich in the Han Solo Star Wars stand-alone film, Heat Vision has confirmed.

If cast, Harrelson will play an early mentor to Ehrenreich's Solo. Disney and Lucasfilm were looking for a big name for the role — a search that, at one time, included Christian Bale.

Multihyphenate Donald Glover will play young Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars spinoff from Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The film is also set to star Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke.

Kathleen Kennedy and Allison Shearmur are producing the feature, which is slated to hit theaters May 25, 2018.

The first Star Wars stand-alone, Rogue One, bowed over the holiday break and has earned $789 million at the global box office to date.

Harrelson, who played a mentor to Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games franchise, was recently in theaters in STX's coming-of-age dramedy The Edge of Seventeen. The actor's upcoming credits include the adaptation of The Glass Castle and Fox's War for the Planet of the Apes.

Harrelson is repped by CAA.

'Han Solo' Movie Directors Confirm Woody Harrelson Casting

Woody Harrelson is headed to a galaxy far, far away.

The directors of the upcoming young Han Solo Star Wars stand-alone confirmed the news on Starwars.com.

“We couldn’t be more excited to work with an artist with as much depth and range as Woody,” said Phil Lord and Christopher Miller in a statement on Starwars.com. “His ability to find both humor and pathos, often in the same role, is truly unique. He is also very good at ping pong.”

No character details were revealed, but when his casting was first reported last week, sources told Heat Vision he would be a mentor figure to Han Solo (played by Alden Ehrenreich in the film).

Harrelson joins a cast with plenty of star power. Donald Glover is playing young Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars spinoff, which will also star Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke.

Lucasfilm was eyeing a big star for the role. In addition to Harrelson, Christian Bale was at one time being considered, sources previously said.

The film is slated to hit theaters in 2018.

Han Solo Spinoff Director Starts Movie With Greedo Shoutout



And they're off.

Chris Miller, who's co-directing the Star Wars movie focusing on the early life of Han Solo, marked the first day of shooting on the project on Twitter this morning, sharing an image of the clapperboard and the caption "Han First Shot." (A pun, of course, on the controversy surrounding edits made to the original movie for its 1997 re-release.)

Notable on the clapperboard is the working title for the project, which remains officially nameless: Star Wars: Red Cup. Fans are doubtlessly already feverishly trying to work out the meaning behind that title, though it looks like a joking Solo cup reference.

Miller is directing the movie with his screenwriting and producing partner Phil Lord. The feature stars Alden Ehrenreich as Solo, a role originated by Harrison Ford, alongside Emilia Clarke and Woody Harrelson. Atlanta's Donald Glover will also appear, playing the young version of the original trilogy's Lando Calrissian. The movie will be released next year.

Speaking of the lead character, Lord said that Solo was a "maverick, a scoundrel ... clever but not smart"

"He doesn't want to do anything that he's told, and if he's told not to do something, he only wants to do it more," he added. "He's very sarcastic and yet unreasonably optimistic. He's basically a cynical guy with the biggest heart in the galaxy and one of the most iconic characters of all time."

Thandie Newton in Talks to Join Han Solo 'Star Wars' Spinoff Movie

Westworld star Thandie Newton is in talks to join the cast of the Han Solo Star Wars spinoff movie, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Alden Ehrenreich is starring in the movie, which began shooting last week, with Phil Lord and Chris Miller directing.

Like all Star Wars projects, the movie has a veil of secrecy surrounding it, but it does have Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke and Woody Harrelson on the call sheet.

Details of Newton’s character were being kept locked tight.

Newton currently is having a bit of a resurgence, thanks to her work on HBO’s Westworld, the edgy sci-fi drama that earned her Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations. She currently is shooting The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, the new drama from French-Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan.

That's part of the reason Han was so likable. He was totally oblivious to how bad her was at what he prided himself on. He was the worst smuggler just like his son is the worst villian. And he was convinced he was a smooth talker that could charm his way out of anything but was terrible at that too. Each time sith got real he would try to talk his way out off it, he would fail, and end up having to shoot his way out. Both him and his son think they're Tony Montana but they're more like Rocco from Boondock Saints LOL.

'Star Wars': New Chewbacca Actor Honors Peter Mayhew After Taking on the Role

Time to re-meet the galaxy's favorite Wookie.

Finnish actor Joonas Suotamo was officially announced in the role of Chewbacca for the upcoming Star Wars standalone film following the exploits of a young Han Solo. Suotamo will take over the beloved role Peter Mayhew made famous. In fact, Mayhew has played Chewbacca in every onscreen appearance of the character to date.

"Chewbacca is one of the most iconic characters in the history of film, and Peter's development and portrayal of this beloved Wookie has spread so much joy around the globe," Suotamo wrote in a statement after the casting was announced. "Peter's guidance and kindness have been invaluable gifts which warmed my spirit and prepared me for this journey. I aspire to make Peter proud and bring Star Wars fans the Chewie they know and love."

Suotamo joins Alden Ehrenreich, who is taking over the eponymous role from Harrison Ford, and Donald Glover, who will be playing Lando Calrissian.

While Mayhew's shoes are large ones to fill — both metaphorically speaking and literally — perhaps no actor is better equipped to do so than Suotamo. For starters, this isn't his first time suiting up as the towering furry smuggler. Suotamo served as a body double (Wookie double?) to Mayhew in 2015's The Force Awakens.

Suotamo also measures up to the demanding physical requirements of the role. A former college basketball star at Penn State University, Suotamo played center for the Nittany Lions and stands at an imposing six-feet-ten-inches. That puts him a few inches shorter than Mayhew's seven-feet-two-inch stature, but hey, this is a prequel, maybe Chewbacca was still growing. (Though he's thought to be around 200 years old at the time of A New Hope, so probably not.)

And if you think Suotamo may be too much of a jock for Star Wars, he graduated with a film degree from his alma mater and was a self-confessed theater nerd in high school, according to a 2016 interview with Business Insider.

Before his big break in a galaxy far, far away, Suotamo was an over-the-phone insurance salesman. When he saw a casting call looking for seven footers with blue eyes — to match Mayhew's irises — for an upcoming project, Suotamo saw his chance.

When Harrison Ford suffered a broken ankle on the set of The Force Awakens by a falling door on the Millenium Falcon, Suotamo was nearby, ready to lend a hand. "I immediately tried to lift it, but it wouldn't even move," the actor told Business Insider. "It was stopped by an emergency button, but none of us knew that. We were all freaking out. But [Ford] was great, he wanted everyone to not worry about him."

What says Chewbacca more than helping an injured nerf herder in need?