Related
Warning : This article comprise SPOILERS forSolo : A Star Wars Story .
Ron Howard’sSolo : A Star Wars Storyshould have liberate right after J.J. Abrams’Star Wars : The Force Awakensinstead of over two twelvemonth later . The matter is , the musical theme of ayoungHan Solomovie was aroundlong before The Walt Disney Company buy Lucasfilm in 2012 , when George Lucas was still in control of theStar Warsbrand , and it was given the greenish brightness almost decent after theStar Warsacquisition . It did n’t need to take five years to uprise and film before hitting theaters this year ; it could ’ve released long before that , which was the original design .
But , behind - the - scenes issues required Lucasfilm to bring out audience to their Star Wars spinoff movies by leading with Gareth Edwards’Rogue One : A Star Wars Storyin 2016 , which was the 2nd movie to release following the Disney accomplishment . While that movie was well received by audiences and critic alike , and it had an exceptional running play at the domestic and worldwide box berth , it stands to reason thatSolo : A Star Wars Story- which is establish on a book by Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan - should ’ve released first , withRogue Onefollowing suit in 2018 .
Related:Star Wars Timeline: When Is SOLO Set & How Old Is Han?
Solo: A Star Wars Story Parallels The Force Awakens
Han Solo is the galaxy ’s most darling smugger ( turned Rebellion wedge ) , but not too many the great unwashed were ab initio sold on the estimate of a immature Han Solo movie - and many masses still are n’t . There ’s been an active cornerstone of detractors forSolo : A Star Wars Storyever since its announcement , with the common feeling amongst those critic being that this movie is " unneeded " ( which in and of itself is a ridiculous argument sinceallStar Warsmovies are " unneeded " ) . But , it ’s arguable that audiences would ’ve been more centripetal to the film if it had been the firstStar Warsspinoff to release way back in December 2016 , notRogue One : A Star Wars Story .
And while severalStar Warsfans considerRogue One : A Star war Storyto be the bestStar Warsmovie that has been released under the Disney - own Lucasfilm trade name , its story is one that would ’ve tied more organically into the events of Rian Johnson’sStar Wars : The Last Jediinstead of 2015’sStar Wars : The Force Awakens . Lucasfilm purposefully put afocus on Han Solo inStar war : The Force Awakens , not to remark paralleling his account with that of Rey ’s , which is a narrative that would ’ve continued if they had releasedSolo : A Star Wars Storythe yr after . see Harrison Ford ’s Han Solo die on - screen , and then construe Chewbacca lose a lifelong friend in the process , was an emotional pull for longtime lover .
Related:How Solo: A Star Wars Story Compares To Rogue One
Then , in theory , an ideal narrative structure for the overall saga , one that would ’ve been somewhat psychotherapeutic for fans , is ifSolo : A Star Wars Storyreleased one year afterStar Wars : The Force Awakens , giving interview Han Solo ’s origin story ( a rebirth , of sorts , with a unexampled cast and Modern taradiddle ) a year after showing those motion-picture fan Han Solo ’s resolve arc . Plus , as mentioned , there are certain parallels between Han Solo and Rey ’s other character bow , such as them both wanting to go back to forsaken planets ( Corellia for Han and Jakku for Rey ) because they both have to get back to someone(s ) . And what ’s interesting about that is Han and Rey both use the same quote when talking about drop dead back : " I ’ve already been away too long . " That is a parallel that could ’ve been explored while audience waited forEpisode VIIIto come in along .
Interestingly , while there ’s a similarity for Rey and Han Solo ’s fiber arc inStar Wars : The Force AwakensandSolo : A Star Wars Story , respectively , there ’s also an challenging narrative line of latitude for the Resistance and Rebellion inStar Wars : The Last JediandRogue One : A Star Wars Story . The Resistance was at the ending of their R-2 inStar warfare : The Last Jediand the film ended with them finding a new hope to fight another twenty-four hour period ; the same affair pass to the Rebellion inRogue One : A Star Wars Story , which means it could ’ve expel afterEpisode VIIIand yield interview more to examine . Of of course , there ’s no telling what that movie ’s box part 144 would ’ve been like if it had n’t released in 2016 , regardless of its timber . But , it ’s possibleSolo : A Star Wars Storycould’ve come better .
Page 2 of 2:Solo’s Box Office Potential & Lucasfilm’s Original Plan
Solo: A Star Wars Story Would’ve Done Better At The Box Office
A vulgar argument forSolo : A Star Wars Storybeing " unnecessary " is its boxful office gross;Solo : A Star Wars Storygrossed $ 103 millionover the 4 - sidereal day Memorial Day Weekend , making it the bad debut in franchise history , even when adjusting for slate price inflation . The film is clearly underperforming at the domestic and worldwide box office compared toRogue One : A Star Wars Story(which open to $ 155 million in 3 years ) , and there are many reasons for that : its tone ending date being in May ( and just five months afterStar warfare : The Last Jedi ) , a heavy truncated merchandising drive , debut veracious afterAvengers : Infinity WarandDeadpool 2(two highly - anticipated superhero sequel ) , and of course , the lustreless review , among other things . give the subject field matter , however , it stand up to reason that put out inRogue One ’s spotlight in December 2016 would ’ve been much better for the vernal Han Solo movie .
Related:Why Star Wars Movies Keep Bombing at the Chinese Box Office
Blockbuster movies are no longer relegated to the spring / summer season , as late age have bear witness . extremely - anticipated movies can publish as early as February and as late as December nowadays . ( January still seems to be a no - go . ) WhileStar Warsmovies have traditionally released around the Memorial Day Weekend in May , Disney change all that by make mid - December an unofficialStar Warsholiday since 2015 , which makesSolo : A Star Wars Story ’s freeing in May an exception . Given its natural action - risky venture storyline and family - friendly appeal , Solo : A Star Wars Storylikely would ’ve had a good gap weekend if it had released in December 2016 .
After all , it ’s possible thatRogue One : A Star Wars Story ’s special gross was due to being the firstStar Warsspinoff movie and the 2nd overallStar Warsmovie to release in more than a X . That is n’t a phenomenon that ’s sole toStar Warseither;Iron Man 3 ’s box power revenue far exceeded its fellow Marvel Cinematic Universe movies because it was the first MCU picture to relinquish following the release of Joss Whedon’sThe Avengers , not due to its news report or quality . Moreover , giving audience their first appreciation at aStar Warsspinoff motion picture by continuing the story of a beloved dealership role is arguably better than test the waters with a movie that fulfill an old age - old secret plan muddle , which could ’ve waited until this twelvemonth to do since its relevance is n’t explicitly about expound the saga so much as restore it .
Lucasfilm Wanted to Release Solo: A Star Wars Story in 2016
intelligibly , it would ’ve been better ifSolo : A Star Wars Storyreleased correct afterStar war : The Force Awakens- and Lucasfilm is n’t forgetful to that notion . As antecedently mentioned , itwassupposed to be their first anthology motion-picture show , but behind - the - scenes issues withEpisode VIIrequired them to move things around . In former 2013 , legendary screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan ( The Empire Strikes Back ) was work out on the hand forSolo : A Star Wars Storywhile consulting on the story forStar Wars : The Force Awakens , but when that motion-picture show ’s scribe , Michael Arndt , want an extra 18 month to complete the script , Lucasfilm request that Kasdan hop on over to the mainline saga once again andco - writeEpisode VII ’s the screenplay with J.J. Abrams , who had just signed on to address the movie .
Related:What Boba Fett & Obi-Wan Can Learn from Solo’s Disappointment
Because of that , Solo : A Star Wars Storywas temporarily sic by , which is whyRogue One : A Star Wars Storyended up drive its spot in 2016 . This was recently substantiate byStar Wars : The Force Awakensconcept creative person Doug Chiang inSolo ’s official book , The Art of Solo : A Star Wars Story . He said :
" I was still wreak on Star Wars : The Force Awakens when Jason [ McGatlin ] asked me to assemble and oversee a small team of part - metre artists to help inspire Larry [ Lawrence Kasdan ] . Although I did n’t get a full story brief , Larry gave me enough information to start exploitation for several cardinal characters and environments . At that clip , the architectural plan was for ' Harry and the Boy ' ( Solo ’s inner workings title ) to be the next Star Wars film after The Force Awakens . "
What ’s interesting is that Lawrence Kasdan asked his Logos , Jonathan Kasdan ( The First Time ) , to continue working onSolo : A Star Wars Story ’s script when he left to co - writeEpisode VIIwith Abrams . ( It ’s worth note that George Lucas originally hired Lawrence to write the script for a young Han Solo moviebeforeDisney acquire Lucasfilm . ) Jonathan had been on the side consulting on the script with his father , but when Lawrence left , Jonathan end up being formally fetch on . If that did n’t occur , who knows if the movie would ’ve even been made or if thatbigcameo would ’ve happened . After all , Jonathan Kasdan ’s idea forHan Solo ’s name reveal was what convinced Disneyto make the movie , and he ’s the personwho pushed for Maul ’s inclusionsince the very beginning . While things may have worked out for the good for everyone take , that still does n’t exchange the estimation thatSolo : A Star Wars Storyshould’ve released right afterStar warfare : The Force Awakens , not more than two yr later .
More:Star Wars Spinoffs Are Better Than The Main Episodes
