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Disney Confirms Plans for Han Solo Spin-off Movie

2 minute read

The first film in the new Star Wars franchise isn’t even out yet, and already details are emerging about more of them.

On Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, the duo that directed The Lego Movie, are working on a Han Solo origin film set to be released in 2018 as part of the Star Wars anthology series.

Disney, which bought LucasFilm in 2012 for $4 billion, confirmed the movie, in a statement with comments from the directors: “We pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us,” said Miller and Lord.

The Han Solo movie will be part of a standalone anthology series, the first of which, Rogue One, comes out in 2016. Separately, the first film in the new trilogy, Episode VII: The Force Awakens, comes out in December of this year.

As THR notes, the Han Solo news should be candy to big Star Wars fans for a number of personal details about who is involved. Miller, who will-co-direct, interned at LucasFilm when he was younger and, at one point, even put on a Stormtrooper costume at George Lucas’s request. Meanwhile, the screenplay is being written by father-son team Jon and Lawrence Kasdan—the latter, 66, co-wrote The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as Raiders of the Lost Ark, which starred Harrison Ford, who played the original Han Solo.

To read more about the major bet Disney and its CEO Bob Iger is placing on the new line of Star Wars films, check out our January 2015 Fortune cover story: Bob Iger’s empire of tech.

Rare Photos of George Lucas Behind the Scenes of Star Wars

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George Lucas and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) on the set of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope in a galaxy far, far away.Lucasfilm
Lucas gives direction to Sir Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi) in Episode IV.Lucasfilm
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo) sit around Lucas on the set of The Empire Strikes Back.Lucasfilm
Lucas with Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), along with Hamill and Ford on the set of Episode IV.Lucasfilm
Lucas directs Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) and Carrie Fisher.Lucasfilm
Harrison Ford and Lucas share a moment in Endor on the set of Return of the Jedi.Lucasfilm
Lucas on set filming the opening scene of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.Lucasfilm
Lucas reviews concept art for Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.Lucasfilm
Lucas inspects a model pod racer for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.Lucasfilm
Lucas makes sure that the Death Star is fully armed and operational for Return of the Jedi.Lucasfilm
Lucas holds up Jango Fett's helmet.Lucasfilm
Natalie Portman (Queen Amidala) and Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) listen to Lucas' directions on the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.Lucasfilm
Lucas directs a lightsaber battle between Ian McDiarmid (Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious) and Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu) on the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.Lucasfilm
Lucas sets up camp next to a Bantha on the set of Episode IV.Lucasfilm
Lucas finds the droid he was looking for.Lucasfilm

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