Though South Park Season 20 has mostly dealt with the presidential election and the problems of online harassment (particularly how women are treated online), the not-so-secret real message of the season is how overrated Star Wars: The Force Awakens was. But however true that may be, Force Awakens at least demonstrated Disney’s ongoing commitment to practical effects and sets, in defiance of the wretched Star Wars Prequel Trilogy and their digital stormtroopers. Sure, The Force Awakens may have been derivative, with a completely useless plot, but it set a baseline standard for new Star Wars films. From now on we expect detailed sets, real-world locations, vibrant characters and great new villains.
So it’s heartening to see that the collection of assets built up for the sprawling Disney Star Wars universe will be put to good use. The Millennium Falcon is one such set, perfectly reproduced for The Force Awakens . And now the cast members of upcoming Star Wars movies are auditioning and rehearsing in the actual space, green screens be damned.
Alden Ehrenreich will play Han Solo in the untitled Han Solo move in the spin-off A Star Wars Story series designed to complement to the “Skywalker family saga” Star Wars: Episode entries. The first of those spin-offs is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, out this December. But the second will be an adventure involving younger versions of Han Solo, Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover was recently cast in the role).
In a new interview for Interview magazine, Ehrenreich explained how even the very earliest work on his Han Solo movie have the Millennium Falcon front and center. “I had an audition process that went on for a long time and I got to spend a lot of time with the guys who are directing the film,” Ehrenreich said, alluding to The Lego Movie directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. “I did my audition on the Millennium Falcon for one of my screen tests, which was pretty cool.”
Yep, the Millennium Falcon played a pivotal role in the audition process. In the scheme of things it doesn’t matter much, but it puts a smile on my face to know the actual ship is sitting there at Pinewood Studios, awaiting more adventures in Star Wars: Episode 8 and the Han Solo movie expected in 2018.
