Solo: A Star Wars Story (Ron Howard 2018)

[Fancyarcher 350]

Sounds like your typical Star Wars synopsis. TLJ's synopsis was very similarly presented. Of course people online (not here), are complaining at it, like it's the worse thing ever. 

[Tom 4,637]

I think the problem is that this is that a movie about Han Solo not featuring Harrison Ford is just that not enticing.  I had zero interest in it.  Williams's involvement has increased the interestometer to about 10%.  

 

I suppose my point, if I have one, is that a run-of-the-mill synopsis does nothing to excite me given the low antecedent interest. 

[King Mark 3,625]

I'll take any Star Wars movie over the latest superhero movie

[Holko 9,499]

Now that's some synopsis. What are they going to "reveal" next, Emilia Clarke plays a woman?

[A24 4,326]

I haven't read it but let me guess: Does it have anything to do with 'smuggling'?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I would think that's obvious.

[A24 4,326]

Well, it could have been about Han Solo being raised as a prince in a palace (that's why he can imagine quite a bit of wealth in Episode 4). But then they find out that he's a bastard and he gets expelled from paradise. The movie ends with the Jabba taking Solo under his wing.

 

End Titles

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Call Ron Howard! Roll camera!

[Holko 9,499]

This may be the first Star Wars movie where they have to employ a narrator to tell us the connecting story parts they didn't have time to film or render.

[Will 2,215]

LOL, that synopsis reads exactly like the joke posts that have littered this thread. 

[idril 86]

It's hilarious that they couldn't come up with anything more substantial this close to the release. They are still doing reshoots but my God, there must be some footage out there to edit into a little teaser!? Madness. And the weird half-leaking of that photo, which they didn't even properly acknowledge as the official promo art but now is going around as the only image associated with the film. Four months until release!

 

That said, I'm one of those people who despises over-saturated marketing campaigns that make me feel like I've seen the movie before it ever comes out (and thus make me disappointed with the familiarity of most films when I do see them). So, maybe I'll end up really really enjoying Solo!

[mstrox 6,647]

They were avoiding crossing The Last Jedi and Solo's marketing due to the weird December/May schedule.  Ron Howard says the trailer is coming soon.  If recent history holds, I'd expect it to premiere during a football game or - since the timing is right - during the Super Bowl.

 

I like it better this way.  Marvel is advertising Avengers 3 with a trailer full of Black Panther characters I know/care nothing about, because that movie doesn't premiere until February.  Their February-May window is even tighter than Star Wars', though.

 

Still don't have particularly high hopes for this - reaching for "fun."

[Wojo 2,453]

Get zis man a shield. 

[idril 86]

1 hour ago, mstrox said:

They were avoiding crossing The Last Jedi and Solo's marketing due to the weird December/May schedule.  Ron Howard says the trailer is coming soon.  If recent history holds, I'd expect it to premiere during a football game or - since the timing is right - during the Super Bowl.

 

I like it better this way.  Marvel is advertising Avengers 3 with a trailer full of Black Panther characters I know/care nothing about, because that movie doesn't premiere until February.  Their February-May window is even tighter than Star Wars', though.

 

Still don't have particularly high hopes for this - reaching for "fun."

Yeah. And like I said, I am all for going into a movie without being bogged down by too much marketing. In fact I deliberately haven't even watched the Infinity War trailer because I don't need to be advertised that, I'm going to see it regardless, and I would rather see it as a completely fresh experience.

 

But marketing can also be a way to kind of shape the narrative - and the Solo narrative is notoriously bad at this point. It is on the marketing campaign to change that as best they can. It just speaks to their uncertainty in this project that they can't come up with anything more solid at this point. I understand that the Last Jedi was kind of in the way due to the May-December thing, but by now TLJ was released a month ago - and Solo doesn't even have a real poster yet. Or a synopsis that makes it sound as if they have any idea what the movie is ACTUALLY going to be!

[John 2,032]

There is no Solo movie. The fanbase has been informed it was destroyed in a mining disaster.

 

[Bofur01 245]

I expect you not to rest until you can assure Kathy Kennedy that Lord and Miller have not compromised this franchise in any way.

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

Top. Men.

[John 2,032]

Be careful not to choke on your aspirations, Director Howard.

[mstrox 6,647]

The movie is coming out in four months and the Regular People have no idea that it exists.  That’s no joke.  Tons of non-Internet-nerd people asked me after TLJ came out what was next and were surprised when I told them.

 

Not sure if that’s a better or worse omen of box offic than behind the scenes tumult, tbh.

[Bayesian 1,359]

Here’s a thought. Let’s say the trailer drops during the Super Bowl and it generates huge buzz. Then a series of tv spots and a full court press of the mighty Disney marketing machine whips up tons more interest from a public shocked to learn there’s more SW coming so soon and now insatiable for more info about it. And assume further that the movie is actually really good and no one can tell from seeing it that there were huge production problems and the box office take was huge.

 

What if such a situation formed the basis for a new approach to movie marketing, where blockbusters are intentionally given compressed marketing schedules but those schedules are packed with buzz-building reveals so that public interest is created instantly and stoked hard until the release date? Maybe you’d get the same opening weekend box office on what oight to be a leaner marketing budget. Maybe this is Disney’s plan?

[Holko 9,499]

Even my diehard SW fan friend whom I saw all 3 new movies at the cinema with was shocked to find out a week ago that this is coming in May, not December.

[publicist 4,643]

Not putting too fine a point on it, but it seems about to be buried.

[1977 1,743]

When it comes to behing-the-scenes intrigue, Solo > Alien 3 > Superman II.

 

That should make for one hell of a tell all doc in 20 years.

 

Somebody call J.W. Rinzler.

 

Except Disney will never allow it.

 

[Holko 9,499]

Google will buy them by that time!

[1977 1,743]

I'm surprised Lucasfilm hasn't capitalised on the success of TLJ and posted a teaser at the end of that film to generate Solo buzz and boost TLJ ticket sales towards the end of it's run.

 

LOTR did that for TTT when FOTR was still in theatres.

[Bilbo 3,709]

1 hour ago, JTWfan77 said:

I'm surprised Lucasfilm hasn't capitalised on the success of TLJ and posted a teaser at the end of that film to generate Solo buzz and boost TLJ ticket sales towards the end of it's run.

 

LOTR did that for TTT when FOTR was still in theatres.

 

I was full sure this was going to happen. 

[Nick1Ø66 4,688]

I wonder if they'll end up delaying this one until December after all (which is frankly what they should have planned all along), and that's why there's no marketing for the film right now.

 

Normally at this point I'd say that's a given what's going to happen considering the substantial reshoots and mess this whole thing has become, but with a Star Wars film there are always so many cross promotions with car companies, fast food restaurants, etc, all of which no doubt have already included Solo has part of their Spring/Summer marketing strategy, so it might be a little late in the game to do that. But who knows.

 

I would not be surprised if it got pushed back.  The pity is they decided to make this one in the first place.  I don't know a single Star Wars fan who thought a young Han Solo movie was a good idea.

[Jurassic Shark 12,029]

Anyway, looking forward to Harrison Ford's voice-over!

 

[Chen G. 3,943]

11 hours ago, Nick1066 said:

I would not be surprised if it got pushed back.  The pity is they decided to make this one in the first place.  I don't know a single Star Wars fan who thought a young Han Solo movie was a good idea.

 

Indeed!

 

I'm not opposed to long-running film series, but still, some things are better left to the imagination of the viewers, especially when they don't have anything to do with the main narrative thrust of the series.

 

Rogue One, for all its flaws, had a clear connection to the conflict at the heart of the series and has a clear position in the narrative order of the films. Solo, on the other hand...

[Balahkay 627]

I think the purpose of this film is to explain why Han didn't shoot first.  

[Jurassic Shark 12,029]

Yeah, it will explain how he got tendonitis in his gun-hand. 

 

Any guess how he got it?

[idril 86]

30 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

 

Indeed!

 

I'm not opposed to long-running film series, but still, some things are better left to the imagination of the viewers, especially when they don't have anything to do with the main narrative thrust of the series.

 

Rogue One, for all its flaws, had a clear connection to the conflict at the heart of the series and has a clear position in the narrative order of the films. Solo, on the other hand...

 

Yeah agreed on this. What do you think of the potential Obi-Wan movie? Because it seems there is a vocal base that really wants this. In theory it is the same idea as doing a Solo film (pick a popular character, fill in the blanks in their personal narrative). It wouldn't add much to the overall story. However, fan response is much more enthusiastic. 

Possibly it's the idea of bringing back the wonderful Ewan McGregor, as opposed to the idea of a Han Solo film sans Harrison Ford.

[gkgyver 1,645]

Will we get a Padme movie? About the hardships of becoming a senator, and juggling the duties of a soon to be mom, an emancipated senator, and pleasing an adolescent Jedi who can read your thoughts at home.

[Chen G. 3,943]

9 minutes ago, idril said:

Yeah agreed on this. What do you think of the potential Obi-Wan movie? Because it seems there is a vocal base that really wants this. In theory it is the same idea as doing a Solo film (pick a popular character, fill in the blanks in their personal narrative). It wouldn't add much to the overall story. However, fan response is much more enthusiastic. 

Possibly it's the idea of bringing back the wonderful Ewan McGregor, as opposed to the idea of a Han Solo film sans Harrison Ford.

 

I'm not too enthusiastic. I mean, unlike Solo, an Obi Wan film would have a clear spot in the narrative order of the films, but it still wouldn't have anything to do with the overarching conflict of the series.

 

Also, adding all these films that are supposed to be nestled between episodes III and IV, is kind of counter-productive to a marathon viewing because you watch the set-up to the original Star Wars, and than take a two-film detour with Rogue One and this Obi Wan movie before returning to the main story.

 

 

[idril 86]

4 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

 

I'm not too enthusiastic. I mean, unlike Solo, an Obi Wan film would have a clear spot in the narrative order of the films, but it still wouldn't have anything to do with the overarching conflict of the series.

 

Also, adding all these films that are supposed to be nestled between episodes III and IV, is kind of counter-productive to a marathon viewing because you watch the set-up to the original Star Wars, and than take a two-film detour with Rogue One and this Obi Wan movie before returning to the main story.

Yeah, I think it would be ideal to expand on a different time period. Preferably long before the prequels are set. That way you would have whatever trilogy setting up backdrop that is quite distant and then you could kind of move into the Skywalker saga.

[Chen G. 3,943]

Again, if its not a part of the main conflict that drives the series, it shouldn't exist.

 

Even The Phantom Menace has very little to do with the narrative of the series, so to have another film set before that one?

[Jurassic Shark 12,029]

8 hours ago, idril said:

Yeah, I think it would be ideal to expand on a different time period. Preferably long before the prequels are set. That way you would have whatever trilogy setting up backdrop that is quite distant and then you could kind of move into the Skywalker saga.

 

A prequel to the prequels? Lucas would surely like that!

[A24 4,326]

10 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Anyway, looking forward to Harrison Ford's voice-over!

 

 

"They don't advertise for smugglers ...

[1977 1,743]

First reaction to footage (possible spoiler alert):

 

http://www.theforce.net/story/front/The_Very_First_Reaction_To_Solo_A_Star_Wars_Story_Hits_The_Web_178344.asp

 

 

[idril 86]

Thanks, I hadn't seen that. Interesting...I mean, not that we should read too much into these things, but it does strike me as accurate that what Disney would be going for here is a 'fan-servicey' movie. 

[Jurassic Shark 12,029]

I really don't mind that, as long as it's well done and JW's new Solo theme is great.

[1977 1,743]

Yep, I'm a fan who likes to be serviced.

 

Wait, um, err...

[Jurassic Shark 12,029]

At least you're honest.

[1977 1,743]

I think the success of this film is going to depend heavily on whether Alden Ehrenreich is able to embody the essense of the character, without resorting to a cheesy imitation of Harrison Ford. 

[Nick1Ø66 4,688]

3 hours ago, JTWfan77 said:

First reaction to footage (possible spoiler alert):

 

http://www.theforce.net/story/front/The_Very_First_Reaction_To_Solo_A_Star_Wars_Story_Hits_The_Web_178344.asp

 

 

 

This gives me zero comfort.  There was this kind of early slobbering, only worse for TLJ ("the best Star Wars movie since Empire"), so I'll take all of this with a grain of salt.  Especially since this person seems to lack any other way of describing what he saw other than "amazing" and "awesome."

[Jurassic Shark 12,029]

I hope Solo will be so good that they turn it into a trilogy!

[1977 1,743]

3 minutes ago, Nick1066 said:

 

This gives me zero comfort.  There was this kind of slobbering, only worse for TLJ ("the best Star Wars movie since Empire"), so I'll take all of this with a grain of salt.  Especially since this person seems to lack any other way of describing what he saw other than "amazing" and "awesome."

 

You forgot the ubiquitous "epic"!

 

[idril 86]

10 minutes ago, JTWfan77 said:

I think the success of this film is going to depend heavily on whether Alden Ehrenreich is able to embody the essense of the character, without resorting to a cheesy imitation of Harrison Ford. 

This. This is the key.

If he can find the balance that Karl Urban found in his portrayal of Bones, then he could really nail it. With all the rumours of needing an acting coach, my guess is it isn't that he can't act, it's that someone is trying to help him find that balance.

 

But we'll see...

[Nick1Ø66 4,688]

I believe these reactions are sincere, but are just products of the moment. I think what happens is people get invited to these things, they're hyped, they're with a bunch of other fans who are hyped, they feel privileged and grateful to be invited, the atmosphere is fun and exciting and someone shows them new STAR WARS and it just sends them through the roof, and they fall all over themselves to Tweet out their excitement.

 

I always hope all these movies are what people say they're going to be, I love Star Wars.  But I've accepted that great Star Wars movies are the exception, not the rule.

Just now, idril said:

This. This is the key.

If he can find the balance that Karl Urban found in his portrayal of Bones, then he could really nail it. With all the rumours of needing an acting coach, my guess is it isn't that he can't act, it's that someone is trying to help him find that balance.

 

But we'll see...

 

Great point. Karl Urban is a really good example of how to do right. Even Chris Pine to a lesser degree.

[idril 86]

2 minutes ago, Nick1066 said:

Great point. Karl Urban is a really good example of how to do right. Even Chris Pine to a lesser degree.

 

Yep, Chris Pine does a good job embodying the essence of the character in a modern interpretation. To be honest I think William Shatner's performance is too wonderfully idiosyncratic to emulate in any direct way, or it would fall into parody. With something like Ford's portrayal of Han Solo, you can go a little closer to the original (as Urban does with Bones) and have it feel authentic without being an imitation.