6/22/17 Update: Oscar-winning filmmaker Ron Howard will take over as director of Han Solo spinoff, Lucasfilm announced.
In huge surprise, directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street) have been axed from Lucasfilm's untitled Han Solo film, which started filming back in February.
"Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are talented filmmakers who have assembled an incredible cast and crew, but it’s become clear that we had different creative visions on this film, and we’ve decided to part ways. A new director will be announced soon," said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, in a statement on the official Star Wars website.
"Unfortunately, our vision and process weren’t aligned with our partners on this project. We normally aren’t fans of the phrase ‘creative differences’ but for once this cliché is true. We are really proud of the amazing and world-class work of our cast and crew," stated Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
Sources told Variety the chemistry between the directors and Kennedy was never right. Miller and Lord were supposedly not granted freedom to run with things and dismissed Kennedy's tight control.
It's surprising to hear things didn't end in the exit of the directors back during pre-production before filming started.
Alden Ehrenreich stars in the origin story about the character made famous by Harrison Ford. The film remains scheduled for a May 2018 release.
Given this news, we probably won't see any footage at next month's D23 Expo. Darn.
