As soon as Lucasfilm broke the jaw-dropping news that Phil Lord and Chris Miller were fired from the Untitled Han Solo Star Wars spinoff, speculation over their replacements spread like mad. It’s hard to think who might even want to take on a potential PR nightmare, especially following a similar outcome for “Rogue One.” Click through to see who is willing and potentially able to fill their shoes…
Tony Gilroy
With much of the Han Solo film already shot, as was the case with “Rogue One,” Disney may look again to their “fixer” in Tony Gilroy, who did reshoots on “Rogue One” after the studio was disappointed with the first cut by director Gareth Edwards. He’s also available, having just wrapped “High Wire Act” with Rosamund Pike and Jon Hamm.
Rian Johnson
Johnson is the director of “Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi,” and if Disney and Lucasfilm want to keep Han Solo in house, within the vision of the studio, Johnson could be the guy to minimize any additional headaches.
Michelle MacLaren
Michelle MacLaren was inches away from directing “Wonder Woman” before even more “creative differences” took her off the project. As one of the best directors on TV behind episodes of “Breaking Bad” and “Game of Thrones,” it’s a crime she hasn’t boarded a major tentpole film yet.
Ron Howard
Howard is a capable director with a long history of delivering bankable studio films, as well as navigating genres, franchises and complicated productions. He has emerged as a frontrunner for the job, and he’d be a smart choice, if a safe one. Reps for Howard declined to comment on his possible attachment.
J.J. Abrams
Well duh! We know Abrams can already deliver. The prolific producer has had the fortune of working with the original Han Solo (Harrison Ford) more than once. And not only is he available, like Joss Whedon stepping in for Zack Snyder on “Justice League,” he’s the type of filmmaker with both vision and nerd cache.
Jordan Peele
Studios were looking at Jordan Peele to direct the long-gestating “Akira.” He’s already announced his follow-up project at Universal, but right now every studio wants to nab Peele for some major property. Sound crazy? Well so was the box office return on “Get Out.” The director is currently prepping another indie with Universal, but they might be willing to let him off the hook to finish the job here and significantly raise his already-hot profile.
Steven Spielberg
Spielberg already said he would respect George Lucas’s territory and never direct a “Star Wars” film of his own. Not to mention he’s swamped with shooting Meryl Streep’s “The Papers” and finishing post on “Ready Player One.” But he does know swashbuckling Harrison Ford character well.
Robert Zemeckis
We reported that Robert Zemeckis was one of the names floating around for “The Flash,” so we know he’s available. And if “Rogue One” was too dour for a “Star Wars” story, he could certainly recapture the whimsy of the series.
Lawrence Kasdan
Kasdan wrote the screenplay for the new Han Solo movie and is as close to the character as almost anyone. Reportedly, it was Lord and Miller veering from Kasdan’s written word that complicated matters. But Kasdan’s hiring might violate DGA regulations if he were to take over on a film already in production.
Joe Johnston
Johnston is a perennially underrated director who has helmed blockbusters like “Jurassic Park III” and “Captain America: The First Avenger,” not to mention a handful of Disney titles and would be a great add in a pinch. He just signed on to a “Chronicles of Narnia” reboot though, so he could be unavailable.
George Lucas
Well we can dream, right? Lucas famously had a “break up” with “Star Wars” after Disney took over and was disappointed with “The Force Awakens,” but was slightly more enamored with “Rogue One.” You have to wonder if fans would even get behind Lucas getting involved with another prequel, lest Jar Jar Binks show up in this one too.
John Knoll
As the effects czar for Star Wars films dating back to the original “A New Hope,” Knoll has been Industrial Light and Magic’s secret weapon through the evolution of technology and the brand. It wouldn’t be a bad idea letting him take a crack at story.