Boba Fett and a frozen Han Solo
With Disney’s acquisition of LucasFilm late last year, we were promised a new Star Wars trilogy as well as a slate of other features within the franchise. We know that Michael Arndt and J.J. Abrams are poised to respectively write and direct Star Wars VII for 2015 and that Zack Snyder’s may be plotting some kind of Kurosawa-inspired samurai Jedi epic (a claim he’s denied, but then so did J.J.). But now we’re hearing about some of the other projects the House of Mouse wants to float, the first in what may be an endless series of spinoff movies focused on individual characters from the rich Star Wars mythos.
Entertainment Weekly reports that a “young Han Solo saga” set between Episodes III and IV will zero in on the scruffy Corellian smuggler’s formative years. Maybe they’ll take inspiration from A.C. Crispin’s Han Solo Trilogy of novels (including The Hutt Gambit, which suggests that had Jabba lived long enough, he would’ve undergone a natural gender swap like all other Hutts. Who knew?), but they’ll more than likely start from scratch.
The other concept is a Boba Fett caper, which could potentially be like The Transporter in space. Start daydreaming about it. It writes itself.
Darth Vader is on the table as an antagonist in both of these.
These are probably the most natural choices for adventure spin-offs imaginable. Star Wars is everywhere in terms of merchandise, even video games and comics. There were once even cartoons. But because Lucas has been anything but prolific in terms of filmmaking, it’s only now that we can begin to seriously consider how the Star Wars film universe could be further explored or expanded. It’s a surreal feeling, but now that the floodgates are open, the possibilities are endless.
And in this case, possibility is spelled B-O-S-S-K.
Who would you want to see play a young Han Solo? How about Fett? Or should he keep his helmet on the whole way through?
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Well i dunno if this is such a great……..who am i kidding, i’m totally seeing all of these and i’m sure they’ll be crazy fun.
–says this guy who proudly owns both Ewok movies.
I agree with you.
-say another guy who proudly owns both Ewok movies.
I’m all for a Boba Fett caper. He’s too cool a character to not be given this opportunity. And throw in the origin of his helmet into the story.
Have you seen Attack of the Clones yet?
Yes, I’ve seen it and forgot to mention this tidbit to answer your question, though that origin or whatever is lacking, so if ever there was a character in dire need of a reboot it’s Boba Fett.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt for young Han Solo! Although I doubt he’d do it.
He would totally do it, but why him? cause of that one shot in 500 days of summer?
I don’t remember the shot you mention, I’m thinking because he’s a very good actor and he has the swagger and cocky charm to play it. It depends how big the movie is as to whether he’d do it I guess.
“How big a movie it is”
It’s a Star Wars movie from Disney.
The answer is “none.” None more big.
What I mean is whether or not it is proper big budget full theatrical release Disney or not. I personally doubt that they’d do that for Fettt for instance. I could be wrong though.
There is exactly zero chance of it not being a major production.
Nathan Fillion for Han Solo!
(Just kidding)
(Please don’t ban me)
In a post ROJ movie? I’m down with that.
“Young Han Solo” = “Young Indiana Jones”? When are we going to get “Young Jack Ryan”?
Kidding aside, I think the new Star Wars projects sound great. The Star Wars universe (expanded and, uh, “panded”) is massive and there’s so much more that can be done with it.
We did get the Young Jack Ryan movie! It was the one with Ben Affleck in it. Pretty good too.
We are getting Young Jack Ryan. This summer. Chris Pine.
I hope it doesn’t feature Grampa Han Solo sitting on his rocker in the dusty mid-west playing the saxaphone…
@Turk: Haha! Well done.
As long as Shy LePoof is nowhere in sight, I’m open to the possibility.
I’ve never understood why Dark Horse hasn’t released a Solo ongoing series?
As I understand it the Star Wars comic book license is pretty rigid and they can only produce what Lucasfilm approves, which has always been tightly controlled.
You might laugh, but I’d love some sort of movie version of “Tag & Bink Are Dead” (a.k.a.”Tag & Bink Were Here”). If done well it could be a lot of fun.
I am bristling with joy.
I would actually prefer these spin offs to the sequels. I am dying to see a movie that doesn’t involve Jedi or the Force in any plot heavy way.
Also if the Boba Fett movie is anything like the Jengo Fett video game, I’m in.
Bring back Temuera Morrison for the Boba Fett movie. He can either do the acting (that way he can take the helmet off) or he can do the voice (thus leaving the helmet on).
Helmet ON!!!
I hope the Boba Fett movie is akin to his appearance in Return Of The Jedi…a lot of ominous build-up, but then goes out like a buffoon.
My pitch? “R5-D4: The Early Years”
I would like the Boba Fett movie to be tonally similar to Dredd. He’s got to be the dark and dirty side of the Star Wars universe. I know it’ll never be as violent, but I think there could be similarities.
Also, definitely keep the helmet on.
As long as he’s portrayed as Bounty Hunter Scum.
He’s from New Zealand.
Of course these will be gangbusters. To any naysayers, I simply point to every 5-15 year old boy who believes Anakin is the coolest character in the Star Wars universe because they didn’t experience the original trilogy when they were growing up. Perhaps it’s best Disney DOES create films based entirely on new characters, just for that reason. I certainly don’t want to see a movie based on Boba Fett, who is – by watching the original trilogy – a pale shadow compared to his dad.
Personally, I want to see Yoda 2: Electric Boogaloo.
The only other x-factor: timing. Disney isn’t going to produce a half dozen SW films a year. It worked for Lord of the Rings because we knew this epic story had an ending. In the 1990s-2000s, Disney literally ran their animation unit into the ground because they released so many animated movies every year. Audiences were turned off by the schlocky assembly line stories and art (I’m generalizing here), and began saving their dollars for Pixar films. The appreciation for good animation is gone, limited to those, like the Star Wars original trilogy fans, who love the legacy and fine art Walt intended them to represent. Times change.
Umm…Not to burst your bubble here but the 1990’s were BOOM years for Disney animation. Are you forgetting movies like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, THE LION KING, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Mulan. Those first three are classics up there with any Disney film ever made and all of those titles made at least over $300 million at the box office. That hardly shows “audiences were turned off”. You don’t crack $300 million film after film if people are turned off. And Lion King is the #2 highest grossing animated film of all time. I think you need to revisit the Disney output of the 1990s.
You’re killing me Smalls – I mean USPUNX. Actually, although it’s the 2000s that best represented my statement, the later films of the 90s (Pocahontas, Mulan, Hunchback, Hercules) never cracked $150 million. Don’t get me wrong – I loved all those films – especially since I worked at Walt Disney World at the time and was surrounded by the hoopla. Also, I had friends at the Walt Disney Animation Studios Florida. The first bubble burst for Disney happened when everyone was expecting another Lion King and got Pocahontas instead. A few more great films of the 90s followed, but in the 2000s only Lilo & Stitch (awesome flick!) made it to $145, no other film (Emperors New Groove, Atlantis, treasure Planet, Brother Bear, Home on the Range) made it past $100 million. Treasure Planet maxed $40 million! All numbers I provided are domestic.
A lot of that had to do with corporate’s loss of respect for the product. The 2000 films I listed above? Couple of gems. The rest had no business being in the theaters but were pushed out due to increasing competition, management, etc. They were simply throwing their hook in the water and didn’t care what they got. Again, my opinion.
That’s why – going back to the original article – Disney sometimes has a habit of saturating the market with inferior product. I’d hate to see Star Wars to wind up as another “Treasure Planet.”
If Lando is in the Han movie, I think Doanal Glover could do a good job.
YES!!!!!
Not putting Lando in an early Han movie would be a huge mistake. Difficulty is you have to set it pre SW.
I think it’s potentially great news. I’m also afraid that I’ve got the OT so deeply imbedded in my dna, it will be impossible for me to see anyone else reprising the old roles, no matter how much I’d like to.
So in other words, more prequels. Great.
Two things,
1) If these happen, all these films from the Yoda film to these ones, how it won’t feel like over saturation I don’t know.
2) I remember hearing about the idea of the spin off film, and thinking it’d be cool. We could go out and explore this galaxy, who’s out there and what’s out there. Instead (again, if these happen) it’ll be the same characters, just over and over and over again. Apparently, despite the books, comics and games, nothing else ever happened to anyone in this universe except all the people we met in the first three films.
The one thing Star Trek has to its benefit is it wasn’t scared to create new characters. Even though we are now back to Kirk and Spock in the new films, every new version of Trek wasn’t “Young Kirk and Spock” “The Kahn Adventures” “The origin of Chekov and his journey from Russia” and so on.
I understand branding, I understand marketing and all that. But I feel like the branding is the name Star Wars itself. Put Star Wars on there, make a cool trailer and people will go. I’m not saying “Make a dark gritty Star Wars films for adults.” or anything dumb like that, but just something new. The only one that sounds interesting is the Seven Samurai mock up, which I’ve heard might actually be the Yoda film…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
I’m not sure Trek is a fair comparison. They didn’t just create brand new characters and then immediately launch a new film series. TNG is really a separate franchise from the original series. It ran for seven seasons before those characters ever got a film. Sightly different.
And I’d say you missed my point completely but cool.
Don’t think so. You are comparing apples to oranges, not really a fair comparison. If I missed it then please clarify, what was your point that I missed?
My point was this is a chance to create something new. That’s the point. Also that with so many announcements, there’s a fair amount of apathy now. Also: http://www.amazon.com/Apples-Party-Box-Hilarious-Comparisons/dp/B00112CHCK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360279708&sr=8-1&keywords=Apples+to+Apples
Just have a new story in the Star Wars universe! Is that so freaking difficult? NO DAMN EASTER EGGS NEITHER.
A Kurosawa-inspired Jedi flick would be pretty damn cool. The other stuff can be great if done right and horrible if done wrong
A Kurosawa inspired Jedi movie would be kind of appropriate, seeing as how Star Wars is basically just a remake of the Hidden Fortress, especially the first third of the movie, which is almost identical.
They should just make a film version of Scoundrels. I would go see that in a heartbeat.
Only if the Han Solo flick has Lando in it too!!!
I’d love to see a movie with those two characters in it!
Somebody reminded me of that lovable rogue Tim Riggins on FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.
Taylor Kitsch as the star of a multi-million Disney blockbuster? What could go wrong?!
I remember Joe Johnston saying he’d been wanting to make a Boba Fett movie for a while. I wonder how that would turn out.
Does Jensen Ackles make sense to anybody for a Han Solo film (I’m not always awesome at dream casting, I’m sorry)? He’s not really a household name, but I feel like any Star Wars movie starring Han Solo will be commercially successful regardless of who’s cast, so maybe that’d work. Or maybe I’m wrong
He’s definitely on my short list for a Han recast.
Leave Vader out. I really hope Vader isn’t in everything. Having him in every story makes the universe feel awfully small and TV like.
There is a whole universe they can play in. All they need for Han is Chewie and at some point Lando.
All they need for Fett is a good story.
Boba Fett and Zuckuss get into wacky hijinks trying to steal the baseball diamond from the Mallory Gallery.
Slave I crash lands on an island. Boba has to fight off polar bears and lazy storytelling. 7 years later he discovers he’s already been digested in the Sarlaac and the island was actually sandworm purgatory.
I’ll stop now.
Set it pre SW/New Hope. No Falcon, No Chewie, just Han and Lando. Meeting Chewie and winning the Falcon? That’s your Han Solo movie. Disney, you can send me my check via iFanboy.
Said check should probably go to Ann C. Crispin because you just discribed the Han Solo Trilogy
Helmet left on.
Han Solo: Ryan Reynolds. Chris Pine. Cillian Murphy.
I love it, I hope they do more bounty hunter stories, pizza the hutt would be great. I love the idea of following Fett more into his personal life, there are so many characters and possibilities, talented people out there who would love to be a part of a Star Wars project, I think this stuff is onto something addicting. Young Han & Fett I gotta think about but getting to know BoBa Fett more as a person/Mandalorian and a window into his personal life calls for some helmet off time, like in the recent Boba Fett is Dead: Blood Ties. He’s another morally ambiguous character with an open book to tell, gotta have plenty of helmet on time too though. Whatever happened to the Star Wars TV series slated to take place between the trilogy’s that was supposed to have Ashoka, Boba Fett and Mara Jade as the main focus?