Once the teaser trailer dropped after the Super Bowl, the Solo: A Star Wars Story media blitz was ready to kick into high gear. We got the first details on the film from the usual suspect, an Entertainment Weekly cover story, then some of the toys were revealed, and finally the literature tie-ins, including books and comics were announced. Check out all the news in one, convenient spot below!
Forget the toys and the EW movie details, the news I’ve always been most interested in revolves around the literature, and Solo has only a small group, but some intriguing ones at that (via EW, of course). Seeing as this site’s bread and butter is a focus on the comics, let’s start with the exciting announcement of a new miniseries centered on everyone’s favorite old smoothy, Lando! Written by Rodney Barnes (The Boondocks), Lando: Double or Nothing is a 5-issue miniseries about an, “…incident right before the film, with backstory about Lando and L3,” and due to its content, it’ll be released the Wednesday following Solo‘s premiere.
UPDATE 2/20: Here’s a blurb for it thanks to the official site’s post about all the Solo tie-in material and it sounds like a lot of fun:
“When a beautiful crime lord commissions the galaxy’s most talented smuggler to help free her people enslaved by the Empire, Lando Calrissian must wager it all on an impossible mission fraught with danger. Set just prior to the events of Solo: A Star Wars Story, our charming scoundrel must face Imperial forces with the help of his ship the Millennium Falcon in a deadly race against time. But even with the deck stacked against him, Lando can’t help playing the odds.”
The previous Lando miniseries is still one of the best pieces of work Marvel has put out since 2015 and you will not be disappointed if you go grab that one now in anticipation for this new one and/or the film. It was written by Charles Soule, who through said series and his From a Certain Point of View short story, really proved he had a handle on what makes Lando such an enticing, memorable character, and while not having him involved is a minor disappointment, you can’t really go wrong with Rodney Barnes, as his pedigree of work speaks for itself. While we don’t know the full art team just yet, the cover is from Scott Forbes (textless version thanks to Manuel Faria on Twitter) and Paolo Villanelli (Rogue One #3) is involved with art in some capacity. I’m very excited for this one, as more Lando is always a good thing, while I’m already very excited about Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s turn as L3-37, so more info and time with her the better! Also in comics, IDW’s Star Wars Adventures will have a 3-part young Han Solo story, starting in IDW’s Free Comic Book Day (May 5, 2018) offering, followed by issues #10 and #11.
In regards to the books, first there’s Last Shot, (UPDATE: here’s my review!!)written Daniel José Older, a Han and Lando novel that tells a multi-era spanning tale from before Solo (focusing on Lando and L3-37), between Solo and Ep. IV (focusing on Han and Sana Starros{!}), and shortly after Return of the Jedi (with Han, Lando, and a young Ben Solo)! From Michael Siglain, Lucasfilm Publishing creative director:
“A crime lord comes looking for the owner of the Millennium Falcon, but mistakenly thinks it was Han Solo at the time, but it was really Lando — which gets Lando mixed up in something else Han did that was Han’s fault. All these years later, the two of them have to right a wrong from much earlier in their history”
UPDATE: Here’s Last Shot‘s first blurb, courtesy of Amazon’s listing of the audiobook version, which includes new details like Lando having a love interest, the name of the gangster after Han and Lando, and an…Ewok…slicer?!?!? I need this book, pronto!
“Even the fastest ship in the galaxy can’t outrun the past….
THEN:
It’s one of the galaxy’s most dangerous secrets: a mysterious transmitter with unknown power and a reward for its discovery that most could only dream of claiming. But those who fly the Millennium Falcon throughout its infamous history aren’t your average scoundrels. Not once, but twice, the crew of the Falcon tries to claim the elusive prize – first, Lando Calrissian and the droid L3-37 at the dawn of an ambitious career, and later, a young and hungry Han Solo with the help of his copilot, Chewbacca. But the device’s creator, the volatile criminal Fyzen Gor, isn’t interested in sharing. And Gor knows how to hold a grudge….
NOW:
It’s been 10 years since the rebel hero Han Solo last encountered Fyzen Gor. After mounting a successful rebellion against the Empire and starting a family with an Alderaanian princess, Han hasn’t given much thought to the mad inventor. But when Lando turns up at Han’s doorstep in the middle of the night, it’s Fyzen’s assassins that he’s running from. And without Han’s help, Lando – and all life on Cloud City – will be annihilated.
With the assistance of a young hotshot pilot, an Ewok slicer prodigy, the woman who might be the love of Lando’s life, and Han’s best and furriest friend, the two most notorious scoundrels in the New Republic are working together once more. They’ll have to journey across the stars – and into the past – before Gor uses the device’s power to reshape the galaxy.”
I’ve always been a big fan of multi-era stories, as I love seeing how the past and future push and pull one another, and who better to have a time-spanning tale to center on than Han and Lando? While we’ll be getting more about Lando and his current pal of a droid, L3-37, there are some familiar characters I’m super excited and curious to see in Last Shot: Sana Starros, first introduced in the Star Wars mainline series as Han’s “wife,” but has since grown into something beyond shock material over the years, and I’m curious if the novel will cover the job they get “married” during or not!; A young Ben Solo! While I’m not one advocating for Kylo Ren redemption, it would be cool to see Han, a very young Ben, and Lando all interacting. Uncle Lando has a nice ring to it, no? (Read Aftermath: Empire End’s interludes with Lando for a damn funny bit regarding Uncle Lando) Speaking of that, just getting a peak at what Lando is up to post-Return of the Jedi will be worth the price alone, beyond his Aftermath interludes and Battlefront II mission. As for the author, Older’s piece in From a Certain Point of View (the 40th Anniversary of A New Hope novel), “Born in a Storm,” was beautifully written and has a haunting, but mesmerizing story, so I’m very excited to see a full novel-length work from him! And for the cover, it’s reversible, as seen above (and in a helpful GIF, below), and there will be a convention exclusive L3-37 and Chewie cover out there as well (cover art by Scott Biel). Last Shot releases April 17 and check back here for our review!
For those out there wondering how our dual covers are going to work for #LastShot, Check out this gif for clarification.
That’s right, gang: one buy, one jacket, two covers. Which scoundrel graces your bookshelf is up to you. pic.twitter.com/bBW8KMZJTG
— Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) February 16, 2018
Next is Most Wanted, written by Rae Carson, which is a YA novel that explores the teenage years of Han Solo (Alden Enrenreich) and Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke), surviving on the streets of Corellia.
UPDATE: Amazon’s listing of the novel reveals a blurb, and while not as specific as Last Shot‘s, it does give us a good idea what shenanigans Qi’ra and Han get up to:
“Set before the events of Solo: A Star Wars Story! Han and Qi’ra don’t have a lot in common other than not having a lot. They’re street kids on the industrial planet Corellia, doing whatever it takes to get by, dreaming of something more. They each jump at a chance to prove themselves in the perilous world of Corellia’s criminal underbelly, only to discover they are on the same mission for the same unscrupulous boss. When the job goes disastrously wrong, Han and Qi’ra are on the run–from pirates, a droid crime syndicate, the Empire, and their boss–and will have to learn to trust each other if they are going to survive.”
DO NOT write this one off because it’s YA, as they have been some of the better novels released with the new canon so far. Rae Carson also wrote a short story for FaCPOV, “The Red One,” which didn’t bring back Skippy the Jedi droid, but did make the R4 unit’s breakdown a heroic sacrifice, while she also contributed to the Canto Bight novella collection, and because of her work from each, I am also ecstatic to see her get a novel! Seems like FaCPOV was a training ground for the next bunch of Star Wars authors. We’ll update with a release date, but it’s sometime after Last Shot and before the film’s release! UPDATE: According to Amazon, it’s May 25, aka Solo premiere, though I wonder if that’s a placeholder date or not.
Of course beyond the novels there’s the requisite art book, by Phil Szostak, an official guide from Pablo Hidalgo, and then a whole plethora of younger-skewing material, like a Chewie and K-2SO team-up, sticker/color/sound books, you name it. There won’t be a short supply of tie-in materials for all ages, that’s for sure!
Because of how The Last Jedi and Solo have overlapped, this is the first of the new films without an appearance at a convention, not really giving the cast and crew a chance to sell their upcoming film and roles within. I’m sure the press tours will provide them the opportunity, but for now we have the EW cover story from Anthony Breznican to finally start hearing from those involved on how they feel about the characters and the story they’ll inhabit in Solo. Here are the quick hits from EW’s coverage:
- First off, there are interviews with the cast, specifically Alden Ehrenreich (Han), Donald Glover (Lando), and Emilia Clarke (Qi’ra), the main three of Solo. With Ehrenreich and Glover, it was not only refreshing to hear them talk about these characters now that they’ve played them, but also how well they understand their characters and their respective history. As for Clarke, she got to tease Qi’ra connection to Han’s early past and her character’s ability to stay one step ahead of everyone.
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge plays, via performance capture, L3-37, who not only is friends with Lando, but is literally a self-made droid, as in she modifies herself. Not only is this the first female main droid on screen, but she’s intriguing as all hell due to her self-modification, and that she’s played by a hilarious actress. I watched Phoebe’s Fleabag recently and it’s a hilarious, heartfelt dramedy that left me excited for her performance as L3-37!
- Details about three important scoundrels in Han’s life, like Woody Harrelson’s Tobias Beckett, who sounds like Woody’s usual role, Thandie Newton’s Val, whose relationship with Han goes in, “an…interesting direction,” and Paul Bettany’s Dryden Vos, a powerful criminal among the underworld.
- Harrison Ford gave a little advice on how he views Han Solo, which helped everyone from Ehrenreich to Ron Howard. Of course, no matter how much Ford likes to keep his distance, his advice really shows he’s only trying to make it look like he’s keeping his distance.
- Of course Breznican asked about the director shake-up, and the answers are as pleasant and vague as they were when the story first broke. However, the article does chart the timeframe of when all the shenanigans went down, while also discussing Ron Howard’s past with George Lucas and future with Solo, so that was pretty neat. But the biggest takeaway, and most clickbaited part of it all, is that Lucas was on set one day and made one tiny suggestion about what Han did in a scene. I won’t make a who shoots first joke, as I’m tapped out on those for a while.
- The films which influenced writers Jon and Lawrence Kasdan, if that type of info is your thing. List includes Treasure Island and The Big Lebowski, interestingly enough.
- A small article that basically says the Falcon looks different because it’s supposed to reflect its owner.
While there is a new Falcon toy to pick up, as well as figures for Han, Chewie, and Qi’ra, it’s really all about Lando and his The Black Series look from Hasbro which is styling as hell and easily the must get toy from the movie!
- EW has pictures of Hasbro’s “new” Falcon and some of the 3.75 figures.
- io9 got to unveil TBS figures, including the awesome Lando and the new Range Trooper.
- Hollywood Reporter has LEGO’s Kessel Run Falcon, though oddly enough there are two characters they are withholding for the time being, but if you look in the right places, you’ll find out who/what they are as this set leaked in early January.
And lastly, a new poster for Solo, which is in the style of the previous, and awesome, character ones, but this one includes the entire cast:
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
SEE ALSO:
Movie Review: Solo – A Star Wars Story
“Becoming Solo” Featurette and TV Spots for Solo: A Star Wars Story
Buckle Up, Baby, the Solo: A Star Wars Story Trailer is Here!
Novel Review: Last Shot
Double the Excerpts: Last Shot and Thrawn – Alliances (UPDATED)
Solo: A Star Wars Story Teaser Trailer Arrives in Style
Han Solo and the Title Gambit: Solo – A Star Wars Story
Han Solo (comic miniseries) | Lando (comic miniseries)
Woody Harrelson Joins Donald Glover and Emilia Clarke For Young Han Solo Standalone Film
It’s a Wrap: Celebration Europe 2016 News Roundup – Han Solo Casting, Ep. VIII Teases, Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel Author Revealed, Battlefront DLC
Han Solo Subject of Second Anthology Film, Directors and Writers Announced