olo: A Star Wars Story (or simply Solo) is a 2018 American space Western film[12][13] based on the Star Wars character Han Solo. Directed by Ron Howard, produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the second Star Wars anthology film following Rogue One (2016). Alden Ehrenreich stars as Han Solo alongside Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, and Paul Bettany. The plot takes place approximately ten years prior to the events of A New Hope,[14] and explores the early adventures of Han Solo and Chewbacca, who join a heist within the criminal underworld.
Star Wars creator George Lucas began developing a Han Solo prequel in 2012, and commissioned Lawrence Kasdan to write the screenplay. After Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, Kasdan was hired to write Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), leaving his son Jonathan to complete the Solo script. Principal photography began in January 2017 at Pinewood Studios, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The duo were fired in June 2017 following “creative differences” with Lucasfilm, and Howard was hired as their replacement. With an estimated production budget of at least $275 million, Solo is one of the most expensive films ever made.
Solo had its world premiere in Los Angeles on May 10, 2018, and was screened at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2018. It was released in the United States on May 25, 2018, in RealD 3D, IMAX and IMAX 3D. Solo received generally favorable reviews from critics who praised the film’s acting performances (particularly Ehrenreich and Glover), visuals and action sequences, while some felt its storyline was predictable. The film was successful at the box office grossing over $1 billion worldwide