The Han Solo spinoff is slated to come out in less than a year, but its release has been put in serious jeopardy as directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have dropped out of the project.
According to Variety, the two filmmakers, who are known for their work on The Lego Movie, have decided to step away following creative differences with Disney.
“Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are talented filmmakers who have assembled an incredible cast and crew, but it’s become clear that we had a different creative vision on this film, and we’ve decided to part ways,” said Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “A new director will be announced soon.”
Considering the level of talent attached to this project, the Han Solo film was shaping up to be one of the best Star Wars movies yet. There’s every possibility the film, which stars Woody Harrelson and Alden Ehrenreich, will still be good, but the departure of Lord and Miller certainly puts a cloud over the movie’s development.
It’s unclear if the new director who comes in will start over completely or try and salvage what was shot. According to a source close to the project, Lord and Miller were three weeks away from wrapping the project before today’s announcement. Whatever happens going forward, this is a major setback. The director who comes onboard (Joss Whedon?!) will surely have a monumental task on their hands.
The Han Solo film is currently scheduled to come out next year on May 25, but chances are the release will be pushed back by several months. It’s unclear if the spinoff will affect the release date of Star Wars: Episode IX, which is currently scheduled for a release on May 24, 2019.