Lawrence Kasdan Tries To Assuage Fears Of Han Solo's Origins In His "Crazy Different" Spin-Off

Lawrence Kasdan has been doing a lot of talking now that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is in theaters and millions have seen it. He doesn't really have any insight into where Star Wars: Episode 8 will go since he and J.J. Abrams left that in the hands of director and writer Rian Johnson, but he does have some interesting things to say about what will be his last Star Wars movie.

Kasdan recently talked a bit about the developing Han Solo spin-off that will be directed by The LEGO Movie helmers Phil Lord & Chris Miller, and he's trying to assuage any fears fans might have of yet another origin story in the Star Wars universe following the disappointing beginnings of characters like Anakin Skywalker and Boba Fett in the prequels.

Speaking with The LA Times, Kasdan said the spin-off, which is officially designated as A Star Wars Story, is still in the very early stages of development. Speaking about the film and the directing duo of Lord & Miller, the screenwriter said:

"Those guys are geniuses in their own right, and they did something with 'The Lego Movie' that no one had ever seen. I think the Han movie is going to be crazy different, and I haven't got a clue what it will be. We're so far from putting it on film."

And speaking on a new episode of Empire Film Podcast (via MakingStarWars.net), Kasdan attempted to assuage any fans' hesitation about getting another origin story about an iconic character from the Star Wars universe:

"I think it won't be the thing you're worried about. It will not be like here is where he was born and this is how he was raised. I think what it will be is what was he like ten years earlier, ya know maybe a little earlier you'll get a glimpse but... what formed the person we meet in the cantina? It is not so much about his specific history. It is about what makes a person like that? He's not full formed in the cantina! Kurosawa once said 'the heroes are the ones that are still changing and the villains are locked and petrified into what they are' and Harrison embodies in Force Awakens someone that's still not settled on who he is."

So expect this Han Solo movie to be some kind of definitive moment in the life of the smuggler that really shaped who he is when we see him for the first time in A New Hope, and also expect it to be "crazy different" somehow. Hopefully it won't ruin the mystique of this character we loved for years and mourned this past week, and I trust Phil Lord & Chris Miller to come through on this one.

The Han Solo spin-off is slated to arrive on May 25th 2018.