Phil Lord and Chris Miller Were Actively Fired From Han Solo Movie, Ron Howard to Take Over?

Although “creative differences” were certainly at the heart of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s exodus from the forthcoming Han Solo movie, it’s not like they had a choice, The Hollywood Reporter reports. The two were fired directly by Kathleen Kennedy after it was determined the relationship just wasn’t going to work out.

According to insider sources, the directors of The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street were trying to hard to make the movie funny. The filmmakers often employ a free-wheeling, improvisational style when it comes to their films, and legendary screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan (Empire Strikes Back, ?Raiders of the Lost Ark) was reportedly having none of that. According to a source, Kasdan believed, ““People need to understand that Han Solo is not a comedic personality. He’s sarcastic and selfish.” We like to imagine everybody on set spend the last four months laughing and playing with Legos while Kasdan fumed silently in the corner, plotting his revenge.

Although it seems friction appeared almost immediately as production began back in February, Lord and Miller always assumed it could be worked through. The two had moved their families over to London for the shoot. Sources dispute whether the pair were surprised by the firing or not.

But the faraway galaxy from the past will soldier on. Lucasfilm and Disney have apparently already targeted and reached out to who they want to step onto the set and finish the film. Possible directors include Ron Howard, Joe Johnston (The Rocketeer, Jumanji) and even Kasdan himself. No matter who is selected, they will likely spend the next several weeks poring over the footage that’s already been shot and decide what to keep and what needs to be changed.

This won’t be the first time Star Wars has gone through a drastic change-up to protect Lucasfilm’s vision for the brand. Rogue One director, Gareth Edwards, was set aside and Tony Gilroy brought in to rewrite and direct substantial reshoots for the film. Ultimately, that movie ended up being a success, despite the ridiculous layout of that data center. Why would the building’s master switch be outside on a random beach? Who is that long, precarious walkway at the top of the building designed for? Why is their Wi-Fi so poor?

Anyway, the Han Solo movie is still expected to come out on May 25, 2018, so we won’t have to wait too long to see if Lucasfilm’s gamble pays off.