Han Solo’s spinoff film comes out on the 23rd and despite the numerous teasers released, much speculation still surrounds it—not an unusual thing for the ever-so-secretive Lucasfilm. The plot was unveiled, though with quite the general tone. The “most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy” is the center of the story as he goes through “daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld” with constant companion and copilot Chewbacca, and the “notorious gambler” Lando Calrissian. Despite the absence of specific storyline details, one thing is for sure: this film will help us understand better the iconic character we’ve all come to know and love.
With that here are the things to expect from Solo: A Star Wars Story:
Alden Ehrenreich’s portrayal of Han Solo
The announcement of Ehrenreich playing the younger version of Harrison Ford’s cultural icon of a character was met with mixed reviews as people deemed that he was “no Harrison Ford.” To be fair to Ehrenreich, it is difficult (if not impossible) to live up to the standards of Star Wars fans whose image of Ford as Han Solo is practically embedded in their heads. Regardless, it’s still quite exciting to see Ehrenreich’s take on the role—how he’ll give the character a fresh new portrayal while still staying true to its roots. (Regardless, Ford seems to be happy with Ehrenreich’s performance, while pulling his leg.)
Childish Landino
Unlike the announcement of Ehrenreich’s snagging of the titular character, news of Donald Glover (a.k.a. Childish Gambino) playing Cloud City’s would-be leader has been well-received by fans; as he appears to be the perfect choice for the role. From the looks of the trailer, Glover seems to have captured the suave and debonair vibe of Lando and we can’t wait to witness more of that in the big screen.
A female villain?
According to recent reports, the enigmatic masked villain in the trailer, named Enfys Nest is actually a woman (though there are other reports that claim otherwise). She is the leader of the of a gang of pirates called the Cloud-Riders. From Darth Vader to Kylo Ren, the major villains in the Star Wars franchise have always been men and when Captain Phasma came along, fans were disappointed with her lack of screen time and the poorly written characterization in the movies. So, fingers crossed that Enfys Nest will be that formidable female villain that Phasma could have been—if she’s actually a female, that is.
When Han met Chewie
The iconic pilot duo go way back before even Luke and Leia came into their lives. The Solo movie features the two friends’ first meeting as well as lots of bromance scenes between the duo as they chase off enemies (or vice versa) in space.
A sci-fi western film noir
Despite the Rogue One vibes the gloomy trailer has been exuding, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy described the Solo film as a “heist, gunslinger type movie” with a “Western feel.” And we expect nothing less from a movie whose center is a notorious smuggler with heroic tendencies. This should be a fun and action-packed film that might also be a breath of fresh air for Star Wars fans after the numerous deaths brought about by the recent films (including that of Han Solo himself).
You can watch the trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story. It’s hitting Philippine cinemas on May 23.
