Director Ron Howard confirmed there are currently no plans to produce a sequel to Lucasfilm's Solo: A Star Wars Story. The filmmaker provided the latest update on the future of the Star Wars spin-off during an interview on Radio Andy on Sirius XM.
After Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, the company moved forward with plans for the Star Wars franchise that included a new trilogy of films and standalone features set within the same universe. After launching the line-up of standalone films with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which followed the group rebels who stole the plans the Death Star just before the events of A New Hope, Disney and Lucasfilm shifted gears towards a spin-off centered on the exploits of a young Han Solo. However, the production of Solo: A Star Wars Story hit a considerable roadblock after directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were removed from the project over creative differences with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Howard was brought on board to carry the project towards its May 25, 2018, release date.
While Solo: A Star Wars Story set up the potential for a second chapter by sending the young smuggler and Chewbacca to inquire about a job being set up by an unnamed gangster on Tatooine, Howard confirmed no sequel is being planned for the time being. "Well, there’s no sequel planned now. It’s amazing to be a part of a Star Wars movie that seems to be a kind of underground hit, which is not what you’d expect, but that’s been an odd, strange journey for that movie," Howard explained.
While Solo: A Star Wars Story received generally positive reviews, the film fell short of expectations at the box office and ultimately earned only $393.2 million worldwide. In addition to being the only Star Wars film to not earn over $1 billion at the global box office since Disney acquired the franchise, Solo: A Star Wars Story is currently the lowest-grossing entry in the saga and its disappointing performance prompted Lucasfilm to put the brakes on plans for further standalone features for now.
Considering how poorly Solo fared at the box office, news of there being no intention of moving forward with a sequel will likely come as a surprise to few. Nonetheless, the standalone film has earned a following and even became the subject of a fan campaign earlier this year in which fans called for a sequel. However, fans of Alden Ehrenreich's portrayal of Han Solo may be comforted by the actor's recent hint at a Solo series for Disney+, though no official word on any such project has been announced to date.
On the other hand, some critics have argued that the true star of Solo: A Star Wars Story was Donald Glover, who portrayed young Lando Calrissian. In fact, many have noted that they would prefer to see a feature film or Disney+ series focusing on the charming hero as opposed to another adventured centered on Han Solo. While it was recently reported that Donald Glover may reprise his role as Lando for a Disney+ series, details on such a project remain unconfirmed at this time.
Solo is available on Disney+.
Source: Radio Andy on Sirius XM