It was one year ago today that Solo: A Star Wars Story hit theaters. Immediately, I found it to be a fantastic film — the one that best captured the original Star Wars feeling that we all got from the original trilogy. We saw it twice during its opening weekend, but a week later it became clear that it wasn’t lighting up the box office as many would’ve expected. There were many theories, but never any definitive reason as to why it under-performed (I still think it was just too close to The Last Jedi). A year later, Solo is perhaps being held in a much higher regard, as Ron Howard’s entry into the Star Wars canon is getting a lot of love on social media, having found its audience following months of availability on Netflix and home video. #MakeSolo2Happen became a trending topic on Twitter today.
The Resistance Broadcast Podcast was the spark that lit the fire — a movement that got a response from writer Jon Kasdan, Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca), and even Howard himself. The door was left wide open for the future adventures of a young Han Solo, and that’s a story that many, apparently, would love to see.
KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC… Trilogy?
At Star Wars Celebration in Chicago last month, MTV News spoke with Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy, who confirmed that an adaptation of the fan-favorite video game Knights of the Old Republic is something that the filmmakers “talk about all the time.” She went as far as to say that Lucasfilm is “developing something to look at.” Now comes a report from Buzzfeed News stating that “three sources close to the project” confirm that Laeta Kalogridis (Alita: Battle Angel, Shutter Island) is writing the screenplay for what will be the first film in a trilogy. With numerous untitled Star Wars films recently dated, and confirmation that Game of Thrones’ David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will be directing the next Star Wars film, it will be interesting to see where this falls as audiences may finally get to see some stories that took place 4,000 years before the saga we’ve always known.
Behind-the-Scenes of THE RISE OF SKYWALKER:
Vanity Fair continued its tradition of sending famed photographer Annie Leibovitz to document the latest installment of the Skywalker saga, and this time writer Lev Grossman was along for the journey. The result is the ultimate Rise of Skywalker preview, with new planets, new characters, and some big reveals — like the long-awaited appearance of The Knights of Ren. Grossman also sat down for a video companion that throws down some additional details, along with the caveat that some things in Star Wars are best experienced first-hand on screen.
FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS FROM ACROSS THE GALAXY
- Hasbro’s Kenner Retro Collection (which we first showed you at Toy Fair) is now available exclusively at Target stores. If you don’t see them in the toy department, be on the lookout for Father’s Day displays in other areas of the store. The modern recreations (they’re not exact copies) of figures from the original 1978 Kenner Star Wars collection will be made available through additional retailers this fall.
- ILMxLAB’s Vader Immortal: Episode I is out now. If you’re into VR, strap on the new Oculus Quest headset for a new adventure on Vader’s fiery home planet of Mustafar. And yes, this story is officially considered part of Star Wars canon.
- Officially, Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge opens at Disneyland Park in Anaheim on May 31, but it’s been in “soft-launch” phase for some lucky attendees this past week. If you were lucky enough to get in for the four-hour window, the Force is strong with you. If not? You could always go to work there. Disney is currently looking to hire a bunch of Stormtroopers.
Photo: Lucasfilm
