Oh, boy! This could go over like a lead balloon. But it seems Han Solo: A Star Wars Story may be taking a page out of the Indiana Jones playbook. Possibly as an ode to Harrison Ford, who is being replaced by Alden Ehrenreich in this second spin-off since Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney. And keep in mind, this isn't some lofty rumor. This comes directly from the mouth of Disney CEO Bob Iger, who is in charge of this entire operation. Apparently Han Solo isn't really Han Solo's name. But we'll learn how he got this name in the upcoming movie, set for release in summer 2018.
As many well know, Indiana Jones' real name is Henry Jones Jr., and that he took on the name of his family dog when he got into archeology. That has always rubbed some fans the wrong way. Now, it appears that Han Solo isn't really the given name of the space pirate we've all come to know and love. But this latest Star Wars story will explain how he came by his now much more iconic name. Not only did Iger drop this weird, interesting tidbit. But we also learned exactly when the movie is set. Says Iger about the Han Solo standalone movie via /film.
"We're actually shooting now an origin story of Han Solo, which will come out in 2018. That picks up with Han Solo when he was 18 years old and takes him through when he was 24. There are a few significant things that happen in Han Solo's life, like acquiring a certain vehicle and meeting a certain Wookiee that will happen in this film. But you will also discover how he got his name."
We knew the movie was set ten years before A New Hope, where Han Solo and Chewbacca first set out to help transport Luke, Obi-Wan and their droids to Alderaan. Now, we know that we'll see Han Solo from the ages of 18 through 24. Alden Ehrenreich is 27 himself. What isn't clear is whether or not the movie spans 7 years in the life of Han Solo, or if these are the ages he'll appear throughout the trilogy the actor has signed on for. In the official Star Wars canon, Solo was 29 years old when he joined up with the Rebellion, so it sounds like this is bumping up right against that.
Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller are currently shooting Han Solo, and not many story details have been released. But Iger does confirm that the movie will show how Solo and Chewbacca first met, and how the pair came to be in possession of the Millennium Falcon, which they won from Lando Calrissian in a game of Sabacc. There had previously been rumors to this effect, but now Iger confirms it to be true.
Iger was speaking at a USC business and tech event when he made these revelations. Last night, Woody Harrelson appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where he revealed that his character's name actually isn't Garris Shrike, but instead is called Beckett. Shrike was a character featured in the old Legends canon, and many fans thought the Han Solo movie was bringing him back for the new cinematic canon, but that's not the case.
Still, the big take away here is that Han Solo might not be Han Solo's real name. Perhaps his first name has always been Han but Solo is a nickname? However it shakes out, and depending on what his real name is, there could be fan backlash. As this is clearly messing with the entire legacy of the character as we know him. Han Solo is in theaters May 25, 2018.