Star Wars: Solo writer speaks out on controversial moment fans HATED
STAR WARS writer Lawrence Kasdan has spoken out on one of the moments in Solo that didn’t go down especially well.
Alden Ehrenreich stars in 'Solo: A Star Wars Story'
There’s one point in the new Star Wars spin-off film in which the character - played by Alden Ehrenreich - is asked his name, and he reveals that he doesn’t have a surname.
The official then lists his surname as “Solo” because he is literally travelling solo.
It’s a scene that’s drawn some ridicule on social media, but Kasdan’s explanation of it checks out - and he said it’s one of the big reasons the film turned the heads of Disney execs.
He told CinemaBlend: “Five years ago, when I came onto the thing - and Disney wasn't on when I came on, then three weeks later, they owned the company - and they came up to Marin [California] and Kathy [Kennedy] and got the people who were already working on it to make a five-minute presentation to Bob Iger and Alan Horn and everyone.
“My presentation was, [Han] comes to an immigration spot and someone asks, 'What's your name?'
“It's not just that he doesn't have a name, which tells you a lot about his history. He says 'I have no people.' That to me is so forlorn and so isolating and rife, and the guy fills in his name.
“Bob Iger said 'Alright, I'm in.' That was it. That was the moment.”
He added: “He reacted to it the way I reacted to it, which was, it's very moving.
So, #SoloMovie Fun but ultimately pointless. The point I tapped out and went ‘nah, nah’ is when it turns out Han Solo isn’t even his fucking name!! What did that add? Did we need that explaining?
— Chris Townsend (@Mr_CLTownsend) May 29, 2018
>What's your name?
— M A T E I (@mtcrts) May 24, 2018
>Han
>Han..? No family name?
>No, I'm alone.
>Ok, Han Solo then.
100% real, someone actually wrote this for a multi-billion $ film. ������������������#SoloStarWars #SoloAStarWarsStory #SoloMovie
Can we all agree that the way Han got his last name in #Solo is just as bad as the #Martha thing from #BatmanVsSuperman #AStarWarsStory #StarWars
— Julian Cespedes (@TavoFactotum) May 28, 2018
“This was a guy who has nothing. Someone plants a name on him. He doesn't even know the guy. It sticks for the rest of the saga.”
Solo was a relative box office disappointment, faring below expectations in the USA and bombing internationally.
Conversations are now ongoing amongst fans as to whether the performance can be attributed to “Star Wars overkill” or a poor choice of release date, so soon after Deadpool 2 and Avengers: Infinity War.
Last week reports emerged that a Bobba Fett movie will be next, while an Obi-Wan Kenobi film is also thought to be on the way.
The main Star Wars saga will be returned to in 2019 with the release of Episode IX.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is out now.