George Lucas' Advice to Ron Howard for Directing Solo: A Star Wars Story: 'Just Don't forget — It's for 12-Year-Old Boys'

Solo manager Ron Howard has recalled the proposal George Lucas gave him astir making a Star Wars movie — that the franchise's assemblage is chiefly "12-year-old boys."

Speaking to Vulture, Howard opened up astir the circumstances which led to him helming Solo: A Star Wars Story, aft Lucasfilm decided to ditch the project's archetypal directorial duo Phil Lord and Miller, of The Lego Movie and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse fame.

During an impromptu meal gathering with Lucasfilm president Katherine Kennedy, Howard said helium was told the workplace had "reached a originative impasse with Lord and Miller" and past asked if he'd see stepping in.

"I'd ever been funny astir Star Wars, and Solo landed successful my thigh erstwhile I didn't person different movie acceptable to go," Howard said, erstwhile asked astir the movie's down the scenes drama. "My wife, Cheryl, and I were vacationing successful Paris. I went to London to spot Hans Zimmer play astatine the O2, and I reached retired to Kathy Kennedy conscionable to accidental 'hi.' And she said, 'Do you privation to travel to breakfast?' I said, 'Okay.'"

The gathering ended up being a mini acme connected the aboriginal of the troubled Star Wars spin-off, Howard explained, with Rogue One shaper Alli Shearmur and Solo screenwriter Jon Kasdan besides successful attendance.

"They fundamentally said, 'We've reached a originative impasse with Lord and Miller. Would you ever see coming in?'"

Howard said helium took a spot of clip to hold to the project, during which helium was shown immoderate of the footage Lord and Miller had already changeable — and rapidly saw "what was bothering" Lucasfilm. It was besides astir this constituent that helium spoke with Star Wars' legendary creator, writer and manager George Lucas, who offered his ain advice.

"I talked to [Lucas] erstwhile early, erstwhile I was conscionable reasoning astir doing it," Howard said. "He wasn't progressive connected the films, but helium said, 'Just don't hide — it's for 12-year-old boys."

Under Howard's direction, Solo was completed and released successful May 2018, but failed to go a container bureau occurrence — thing that has often been blamed connected the originative tussle down the scenes.

"There was a workplace that liked the publication the mode it was and wanted a Star Wars movie, but determination was a disconnect aboriginal connected tonally, and they weren't convinced that what Phil and Chris were doing was moving effectively," Howard said. "I couldn't justice that due to the fact that I didn't spot capable of it to know. But they were sure."

The manager was told by Lucasfilm to "reshoot a lot" of what Lord and Miller had already made, though Howard said helium retained immoderate scenes helium liked and that the duo remained "incredibly gracious throughout."

"They were conscionable seeing 2 antithetic movies," Howard concluded. "So I came in, I had a blast, but there's thing idiosyncratic astir that movie whatsoever. It's inactive conscionable a shame. I can’t hold for Phil and Chris' adjacent movie."

Image credit: Daniel Knighton/Getty Images.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social