Update, 5/24/18:
In a recent interview with Variety, Solo director Ron Howard shared details on the scene George Lucas made a suggestion for. Han and Qi’ra share some dialogue in Lando’s glorious cape closet while Qi’ra’s trying on some of Lando’s clothes. Can you blame her? Initially, Han takes a cape from Qi’ra and hangs it up. But Lucas was present during filming and had a note.
“He said, ‘You know, Han wouldn’t bother to hang it up,’” Howard says. “And then he sort of did it. George became Han Solo for a second. The body language was there and the attitude. Not only was it a nice accent on the scene, but it was also a reminder that George created this character and really understood him. He was so reluctant [to offer his opinion], and yet the choice was so right that it was fun to use it.”
And it ties into the novel Last Shot by Daniel José Older. In the novel, Han thinks Lando was way too meticulous with his care for the Millennium Falcon. He didn’t like that it was spotless: “Han had immediately gotten to work scuffing it up, making it a place where a regular person could kick back and enjoy themself, not some maniac’s immaculate cape museum.”
Previously:
Solo: A Star Wars Story has quite a behind-the-scenes story. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were initially hired to direct the standalone film, but they were removed from the project in June 2017. Ron Howard stepped up to helm the movie shortly after, completing production and reshoots. In their extensive coverage of Solo in the latest issue, Entertainment Weekly (EW) discussed the transition with Howard and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. One tidbit of information especially stood out to me: George Lucas helped direct a scene of Solo.
George Lucas stopped by the set of #Solo—and ended up helping direct a small part of the film: https://t.co/c9USUbYTyz #StarWars
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) February 9, 2018
Lucas visted the set of Solo the first day Howard picked up shooting. Though Kennedy said Lucas intended to just stop by, the visit extended to five hours. She told EW, “There’s even one little moment in a scene that–I can’t tell you what, sorry–but in the scene on the Millennium Falcon where George said, ‘Why doesn’t Han just do this.'”
Howard took the advice and applied it to the film. So, Lucas helped direct a scene in Solo. Thinking back to Lucas’ connection with Howard going back to American Graffiti days and that, of course, he created Han Solo, it’s a nice bow on the story. I don’t want to read too much into the visit, but I think it’s encouraging that Lucas was intrigued enough to stick around for more than a couple of hours.
Visit EW to read more about Lord and Miller’s departure from Solo and Howard taking the helm.
Do you like knowing Lucas played a small part in Solo? Fly to the comments and share your thoughts.
Images: Lucasfilm
Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. She likes Star Wars a little. Follow her on Twitter.
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