Ron Howard is "not in control" over the fate of Solo 2
Ron Howard is, however, very touched by the fan response to the divisive prequel
One of the strangest things about Star Wars Celebration Weekend in scenic Anaheim, California, is how invested fans are in Star Wars stuff that the last generation of fans rejected. Hayden Christensen received the biggest pop of the night at the Obi-Wan Kenobi premiere, even more than the Flea title card, which must be among the least likely career turns in recent memory.
But the prequel reappraisal isn’t just reserved for George Lucas’ trilogy. Ron Howard’s Solo, the least financially successful live-action Star Wars film to date and one that LucasFilm keeps apologizing for, has a strong fan base here in Anaheim. T-shirts, signs, and heckles from the audience all reveal a desire for a Solo 2, a Duo if you will.
Unfortunately, after facing throngs of hungry fans calling for more Solo at the Light & Magic panel this morning, Howard revealed a shocking truth: “I’m not in charge of that, guys.”
However, he does appreciate the sentiment. At a press conference following the Light & Magic documentary extravaganza, he said, “The love for Solo is, of course, incredibly gratifying and means a lot to the great cast who put their heart and soul into the movie.”
“It means the world that somehow the film resonates with Star Wars fans, and that’s all everybody hopes for.”
Solo might be Star Wars’ first “bomb,” but it also pushed the special effects at ILM further, allowing them to create their new rear-screen projection system StageCraft, which uses mixed-media soundstages known as Volumes to create those sweeping vistas on The Mandalorian. That technique was in its infancy on Solo.
“It wasn’t 360 volume, but we had screens for the jump into hyperspace. We had that generated on the space, so we got lots of shots in-camera, which I think is that is the key to StageCraft, the fact that you can put the real actors in a real virtual world,” said Lynwen Brennan, Lucasfilm Executive Vice President and General Manager. “So they’re not reacting to a blue screen outside the cockpit window. They have that exhilaration of that moment. And then and now with that entire volume, they really feel that they’re on different planets and that they can react in a way that is harder to do when you’re are the same plane.”
“And I think that’s the most important thing. It’s an incredibly innovative technology, but it allows a story to be told in a more authentic well from the start. And I’m wrong being upfront and saying.”
Howard was effusive about ILM’s ability to problem-solve. StageCraft, according to Howard, allowed actors to move throughout a space, rather than forcing the director to walk them through it. Who knows how the endless walk-and-talks of the Star Wars prequels could’ve been improved.
“How do we tell the story better?” Howard said. “Well, when you and the actors are more connected, that’s a great leap. It’s not all about efficiency. It’s also just about creating something very imaginative that characters can actually connect with a level of honesty.”