In news that could either fill you with happiness or dread, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has revealed that George Lucas helped Ron Howard direct a scene in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Fortunately, it looks as if the scene did not involve Gungan slapstick, a CG musical number or itchy sand – but rather a little pointer on what Han might do in a certain situation.
This juicy bit of future movie trivia was mentioned in a recent interview with EW, where Kennedy explained that Lucas visited the set in order to give some advice to short-notice replacement director Ron Howard on what it’s like to helm a Star Wars movie.
Here’s what she had to say about it:
“He had intended to just kind of stop by and say hi, and he stayed five hours. 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.’ It actually is a funny little bit that will probably get a laugh. And Ron happened to be by the monitor and not inside the Falcon and he goes, ‘Oh that’s a great idea,’ and ran in and said, ‘George wants us to do this.’
So that was pretty cool. I think George felt pretty great about that. He could revisit these characters, and I think he felt so comfortable, obviously with Ron being there, that it was just fun for him.”
Aww. Just thinking of his big beardy face swelling with happiness at Ron Howard immediately acting on his suggestion warms the cockles of my heart. After all, I’ve always been curious about what Lucas really thinks of these new movies: while a $4 billion payday will smooth over a lot, Star Wars is still his baby and seeing other people taking the universe in a direction that he might not necessarily approve of must be difficult. So, it’s nice to know that those making these new movies absolutely respect the person who thought all this stuff up in the first place.
One thing’s for sure, trying to work out exactly what this little moment that Lucas suggested is will be at the front of my mind while I’m watching Solo: A Star Wars Story. Fortunately, that’ll be sooner rather than later, as the film hits cinemas on May 25th.
