Yesterday when Bob Iger announced that Disney is developing stand-alone films within the ‘Star Wars’ official movie episodes, fans began to speculate and imagine who would be at the center of these films. A Yoda movie was one of the rumors being offered but according to EW, they have confirmed that two of these stand-alone films will feature two fan favorite characters: Han Solo and Boba Fett!
According to their sources, the Boba Fett film would take place between ‘Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope’ and ‘Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back’ or between ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.’ If you recall, the bounty hunter was last seen being thrown into the Sarlacc pit but with the time placement of his film, it looks like the movie could center on Boba Fett dealing with other intergalactic bounty hunters and the like as he goes to search for a bounty. Wouldn’t if be great if it even dealt with how Boba Fett managed to obtain Han Solo’s carbonite slab self?!
As for Han Solo, sources tell EW that his movie would be set between ‘Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’ and ‘Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope’ and deal with a much younger Solo than the one seen in ‘A New Hope’.
Originally in ‘Revenge of the Sith,’ George Lucas had wanted to include Han Solo in the story, but due to the timeline, he would only be 10 years old. His role was to be the helpful kid who helped find General Grievious’ location. There was even a concept art piece of what the young Han would have looked like:
The image was done by concept artist Iain McCaig who talked about his contribution which never made it into the final version of the film:
“It’s not in the script anymore, but we were told that Han Solo was on Kashyyyk and that he was being raised by Chewbacca. He’s such a persnickety guy later on – he always has to have the best of everything – so I thought it’d be great if when he was a kid, he was an absolute slob.”
Both films would be able to bring Darth Vader back in his full black metal gear as the villain (remember those rumors when Disney first bought Lucasfilm?) and Harrison Ford would still be able to be part of the upcoming ‘Star Wars’ movies by doing a cameo in the Han Solo film as he talks about his adventures making the Han Solo film an origin/flashback story.
Of course Disney has denied these rumors telling Deadline:
“Nobody knows when these movies are even coming out. Right now, people are just kicking around ideas. Which is why you hear it’s Yoda one day and a young Han Solo another. It’s all in early development right now.”
The only thing they will confirm is that Simon Kinberg and Lawrence Kasdan are writing the screenplays and that right now, their attention is on ‘Star Wars: Episdoe VII’ with J.J. Abrams directing and Michael Arndt on scribing duties.
Either way, the news is exciting, don’t you think? If you were Disney, who would you cast in the lead as Han Solo and Boba Fett? Or better yet, who else do you think deserves their own film?