It’s only been mere hours since Phil Lord and Chris Miller shocked everyone by announcing that they’d be leaving Han Solo, citing creative differences as the reason for their abrupt exit. At the time, Lucasfilm said they were already looking for a replacement and now, it seems like they’ve found one.
According to Deadline, Ron Howard is the studio’s top choice to direct. They also note that Lawrence Kasdan has been mentioned as a possibility as well, but the Rush helmer is apparently the frontrunner. While he may seem like an odd pick, Deadline notes that Howard’s a “pro who can step right in and keep the picture on track” for its release, which is absolutely true.
All things considered, the director is a safe, though not particularly exciting choice, and while we could certainly think of many other filmmakers who we’d rather have behind the camera, this does make a lot of sense. Like Deadline says, he’s a seasoned pro and given that there are only three weeks left of principal photography, you don’t need someone coming in who’s going to rock the boat with a bunch of brand new ideas and a completely different vision. You need someone who can work with what’s already there and just hold it all together until production reaches the finish line. And that someone is Ron Howard.
Again, it may not be the most exciting replacement, but Howard’s a Hollywood veteran with tons of impressive credits on his resume and he’d certainly be able to steer the troubled ship that is Han Solo. Lucasfilm hasn’t commented on any of this just yet, mind you, but we expect to hear more soon as rumors and speculation are flying around the web at a furious rate, with fans appearing to be quite worried – and rightfully so.