As you likely know by now, today is Star Wars day (May the 4th), with fans celebrating this iconic franchise all over the world. LucasFilm has already announced that the annual Star Wars Celebration will take place in Orlando, Florida next year, while unveiling a new trailer and details for the upcoming Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens video game, set to be released on June 28. Another pivotal figure in the Star Wars universe, Han Solo: A Star Wars Story director Chris Miller, celebrated this special day by giving fans a sneak peek at the movie, unveiling a photo of the title character's iconic blaster.

The director revealed that he "can't wait to get 'shooting'" on his official Twitter page, along with a photo of the iconic Han Solo blaster. Some fans had hoped that, perhaps, the filmmakers or the studio would announce who is actually playing Han Solo in this adventure, which is set between Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and the 1977 classic that started it all, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. While there is very little we know about the plot, this spinoff will provide an origin story for this beloved smuggler, before he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker at the Mos Eisley Cantina in A New Hope.

As for the casting, a report surfaced last month that Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar) has emerged as a front runner for the title role of a Young Han Solo, but that has yet to be confirmed. Other actors such as Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Jack Reynor (Transformers: Age of Extinction) are also said to be top contenders for the role, but it isn't known when the studio plans to make a final decision. There had also been rumors that the studio wanted to cast the Han Solo movie soon so the character could be introduced in the first spinoff, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which is also set between Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and the 1977 classic that started it all, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, but since that movie wrapped, that seems very unliley at this point unless it happened without the info leaking.

Chris Miller and Phil Lord are directing from a script by Lawrence Kasdan (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and his son Jon Kasdan (In the Land of Women). Production isn't expected to begin until January 2017, with the studio already setting a May 25, 2018 release date, which is exactly 41 years to the date after Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope was released. That movie will be followed by Star Wars: Episode IX, directed by Colin Trevorrow, which is expected to hit theaters in 2019.

Star Wars Day is far from over, so it's possible that more surprises from Han Solo: A Star Wars Story and other future franchise spinoffs will be revealed throughout the day. We'll be sure to keep you posted with more updates as we continue to celebrate this iconic galaxy far, far away, all day long. In the meantime, take a look at Han Solo's blaster from Star Wars Anthology: Han Solo below.

Star Wars Anthology: Han Solo Blaster Photo