Why we’re not excited about Solo: A Star Wars Story

Following months of speculation and rumours, behind-the-scenes drama, and mixed reactions to the latest Star Wars instalment: The Last Jedi, the trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story, has finally arrived. With a teaser revealed during the Super bowl on Sunday evening, the full trailer was released on Monday, just four months prior to the film’s release date. With so little time left to generate hype, the long awaited trailer has been received as somewhat underwhelming.

Image credit: Getty Images

An incredibly bumpy ride has brought us to this moment however, as the film has not been without its major setbacks. The firing of directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller due to disagreements with production company Lucasfilm caused uproar. It was revealed replacement director Ron Howard called for mass reshoots, which were rumoured to be ongoing as late as January this year, with the film still being scheduled for release in May. This was as well as casting dilemmas, with many fans calling for various actors to be selected to play Solo.

The long awaited trailer has been received as somewhat underwhelming

The trailer saw Star Wars fans finally get a first glimpse at Alden Ehenreich on his quest to fill the huge shoes of Harrison Ford in the role of the eponymous Solo. Following many young A-list male actors auditioning, Ehenreich was chosen for the role; as was initially revealed in May 2016, a full two years before the film’s release date. While his screen time within the trailer was limited, questions were finally answered as to whether Ehenreich would be bringing a new spin to the character, or whether he would predominantly be attempting to impersonate Harrison Ford. Viewers can assume the first option, with Ehenreich not, at least overtly impersonating Ford’s voice, although small glimpses of Solo’s mannerisms from previous films do appear throughout the trailer. Ehenreich appears alongside Woody Harrelson as Tobias Beckett, Han’s mentor throughout the movie, as well as Emilia Clarke as the mysterious Qi’ra, a possible love interest for the smuggler. And of course there is Donald Glover portraying the infamous Lando Calrissian, who’s portrayal will ultimately be bittersweet, as we already know the character to, ultimately, be a traitor.

A first look at Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian. Image credit: Getty Images

While little is revealed about the plot, we learn Han was rejected from the Flight Academy, and has been running scams from an incredibly young age. Segments of a very young Millenium Falcon are shown, remarkably cleaner than it appears in the original trilogy, as well as some questionable costume choices, with Solo wearing what looks to be a dead wookie at points. The teaser hints more at the growing presence of the Empire, with Solo himself appearing to be looking to join the pilot branch. Very little else can be gathered as to the direction of the plot from these trailers. Some fans may argue is a good strategy, allowing fans to keep guessing the origin of such a beloved character. However, for others, the Solo film presents such a crucial layer of development for the character, that to leave so much in the dark is risky. For some fans this may make it too much of a risk to watch, with many of the actors under great pressure so as not to taint perspectives of characters, or the performances of those originally in the roles.

Questions were finally answered as to whether Ehenreich would be bringing a new spin to the character, or whether he would predominantly be attempting to impersonate… Harrison Ford. Viewers can assume…the first option

This begs the question as to whether a ‘solo’ Solo film was actually needed. Similar questions were asked of Rogue One, which proved to be a great success, however this introduced original characters and no huge plot surprises that could pose immediate risks to original material. Concerning the Solo film, it is fair to say doubts are present. The trailer itself is almost remarkably underwhelming, with the rogue pilot (turned smuggler) who cleared the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, reduced to a minute of unremarkable action and dialogue. With just over four months until the films release date, one can only hope some hype is produced to encourage people to actually see it, as the trailer doesn’t do much for the cause.

Even in spite of the huge drama surrounding the directors, the Solo film is under immense pressure to deliver sufficient character development to leave fans satisfied with Solo’s origins, as opposed to disappointed. As the production of this film was a huge risk, one can only hope it pays off, as the trailer unfortunately leaves quite a lot to be desired.