Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, the directing duo behind Warner Bros.’ hit “The Lego Movie,” will direct a standalone “Star Wars” anthology film, Disney announced Tuesday.
The duo, whose credits also include “21 Jump Street,” will direct a feature about a young Han Solo, the iconic character played by Harrison Ford in the original films. Lawrence and Jon Kasden will write the screenplay.
The story will focus on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief and scoundrel Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encounter in the cantina at Mos Eisley.
Ford reprises the role in the upcoming “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
“This is the first film we’ve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with,” said the directors in a statement. “We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us. This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where you’re late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise you’ve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all.”
Longtime Lucasfilm exec Kathleen Kennedy will produce the film, which is slated for a May 25, 2018 release.
Disney and Lucasfilm plan to release at least one new “Star Wars” film a year, kicking off with Episode VII, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” on Dec. 18, 2015. Episode VIII, written and to be directed by Rian Johnson, will follow on May 26, 2017.
The first standalone film, “Star Wars: Rogue One,” starring Felicity Jones and Ben Mendelsohn, will be released on Dec. 16, 2016.