Bradford Young, the cinematographer best known for his work across Arrival and the critically-adorned Selma, has boarded Disney’s Han Solo spinoff as director of photography.
First reported by The Film Stage, this is the first tangible tidbit to surface for Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s origin story in some time, and further proof that, although Disney and Lucasfilm are mere months away from launching the first Star Wars Anthology film in Rogue One, both parties are quietly assembling the necessary pieces as their vision for a grand cinematic universe begins to coalesce.
And though ticking off the cinematographer check box isn’t a coup likely to steal headlines left, right and center, Young is a fine candidate to shoot a Star Wars movie based on his stellar, diverse track record. Soon after overseeing production on Ain’t Them Bodies Saints three years ago, the prolific DP executed the one-two punch of Selma and J.C. Chandor’s 80s pic A Most Violent Year.
That piping hot streak continued through Denis Villeneuve’s acclaimed sci-fi Arrival, and Young’s contribution to that one – something that our own Matt Donato championed in his review – is rather remarkable in the sense that Villeneuve turned to the DP in his time of need after frequent collaborator Roger Deakins (Prisoners, Sicario) was all tied up. Second only to the Roger Deakins is quite a statement.
Eyeing a production start at the beginning of 2017, Disney’s Han Solo spinoff currently has Alden Ehrenreich as the roguish smuggler. The House of Mouse is evidently in the midst of its casting process, though, with rumors flying thick and fast that both Donald Glover and an actress to play Sana Solo are being considered.