‘Solo’ Featurette Teases Look at Daily Life in the Galactic Empire (Video)
Upcoming “Star Wars” film will show the dystopian society that gave rise to Han Solo
Jeremy Fuster | April 29, 2018 @ 1:06 PM
Last Updated: April 29, 2018 @ 1:07 PM
The next film in the “Star Wars” anthology, “Solo,” will go inside the dystopian daily life faced by those living under the Empire; a life that gave rise to one of the most famous rebels of them all, Han Solo.
The new featurette released by Lucasfilm on Sunday shows a gritty, hazy world, where rifle-touting Stormtroopers watch over huddled masses trudging their way through space ports. The sterility of the Empire’s ships in the original trilogy is nowhere to be seen, nor are the colorful realms of the prequels. Dirt and despair are the norm here.
“The ‘Star Wars’ universe we see in ‘Solo’ is different from anything else that we’ve seen in any previous ‘Star Wars’ movies,” says director Ron Howard. “The Empire controls everything. Everyone is struggling to survive. But we discover this incredibly free spirit.”
“Solo” is said to show all the moments that make Han who he is, from meeting Chewbacca to the long-talked-about but never seen card game in which Han won the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian. Lawrence Kasdan, the “Empire Strikes Back” co-writer for whom this is his fourth “Star Wars” film, says the bounty hunter and future father of Kylo Ren is his favorite character.
“He’s the most exciting character in the saga for me,” he says. “You never know what he’s gonna do.”
“Solo” hits theaters May 25. Watch the featurette in the clip above.
'Star Wars: The Last Jedi': 8 A-List Cameos to Keep an Eye (and Ear) Out for (Photos)
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is finally here, and much like "The Force Awakens" and "Rogue One," it is filled with celebrities who oh-so-badly wanted to be a part of a galaxy far, far away. From past "Star Wars" directors to the next King of England, these cameos come in blink-and-you'll-miss-it shots or in the voices of bizarre alien creatures on Canto Bight, the newest Star Wars planet that looks like Galactic Monaco. Here is some to look out for when you watch the movie:
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When Gareth Edwards wrote "Rogue One," he put Rian Johnson in front of the camera for a special cameo. Now, Rian is returning the favor in "The Last Jedi." If you can remember to do so during the film's heart-pounding climax on the salt planet of Crait, look for Edwards as a Resistance soldier fighting in the trenches.
As hardcore Warwick Davis, who famously played Wicket the Ewok in "Return of the Jedi," has made cameos in "Star Wars" movies ever since. Here, he voices one of the rich, greedy creatures gambling their ill-gotten gains away on Canto Bight.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a long history with Rian Johnson, starring in his 2005 debut film "Brick" and his nail-biting sci-fi film "Looper." He also has a voice cameo as one of the gamblers on Canto Bight.
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Another star of "Brick," Noah Segan, also has a long-standing relationship with Rian Johnson. He appears in this film as an X-Wing pilot who fights in the opening battle against a Dreadnought Star Destroyer.
Very mild spoiler here: As part of a mission, Finn and Rose are instructed to go to Canto Bight and search for someone wearing a floral pin. That pin is worn by a craps-throwing Canto Bight gambler played by Justin Theroux, star of HBO's "The Leftovers" and writer for films like "Tropic Thunder" and "Iron Man 2."
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It might become a new tradition to have big stars play Stormtroopers in these new Star Wars movies. Daniel Craig played one in "The Force Awakens," and here, Tom Hardy plays one in a scene where Finn and Rose disguise themselves as First Order officers to sneak onto Supreme Leader Snoke's mothership. But he's not the only famous Stormtrooper in that scene...
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The future King of England, Prince William, and his brother, Prince Harry, also play Stormtroopers on Snoke's ship. Like Hardy, you probably won't be able to spot them, but they also got a "Star Wars" moment of their own this week, when BB-8 bowed to them as they arrived at the film's London premiere.
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These guest roles are easy to miss
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is finally here, and much like "The Force Awakens" and "Rogue One," it is filled with celebrities who oh-so-badly wanted to be a part of a galaxy far, far away. From past "Star Wars" directors to the next King of England, these cameos come in blink-and-you'll-miss-it shots or in the voices of bizarre alien creatures on Canto Bight, the newest Star Wars planet that looks like Galactic Monaco. Here is some to look out for when you watch the movie: