Chris Miller promises originality in both his animated Spider-Man film and the upcoming Han Solo movie
Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the creative duo behind films like 21 Jump Street, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and The LEGO Movie, are living the fanboy dream. Not only are they attached to write and produce an upcoming animated Spider-Man film for Sony Pictures, they’re also directing a Han Solo movie, set to be the second, still-untitled Star Wars Anthology film. Today, in a conversation with IGN, Miller teased both projects, hinting that fans are in for a double treat in the summer of 2018.
“It’s a huge pressure,” says Miller of trying to balance his own personal reverence for the Star Wars franchise with his role as a storyteller for something new. “We always try and find something that’s gonna… give fire to our bellies and do a really good job. And this feels like there’s a lot of pressure to not screw this up. So we’ve definitely got that motivation and then the rest of it is about trying to give audiences a fresh experience that doesn’t feel like you’re just trying to check off some checklist of beats that you’re expecting and make something that feels new and exciting for people, but at the same time honoring what was so great about that character.”
The screenplay for the Han Solo movie is written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan and is said to focus on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley.
“When I was a kid on the playground,” Miller continues, “fights were about who got to play Han Solo. He’s just one of the best characters ever created… I could talk to you for a day about why he is the perfect blend of rogue-ish cowboy… Morally ambiguous, but has a clear moral compass. He’s funny. He’s off the cuff.”
Iconically played by Harrison Ford in the original Star Wars trilogy, Han Solo will return to the big screen in December’s much-anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Arriving on the big screen just two months after the Han Solo movie is Lord and Miller’s take on Marvel’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Although he was reluctant to reveal any details, Miller also promises a fresh approach to the wall-crawler.
“I will say, it is not just another Peter Parker origin story that you’ve seen 400 times,” he tells the outlet. “It is something totally unique and different and not like anything you’ve seen. That’s all I can say… and you’re going to love it!”
Slated for a May 25, 2018 release, the Han Solo movie will be executive produced by Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin and co-produced by Will Allegra. The animated Spider-Man film will follow on July 20, 2018.
