Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Daisy Ridley as Rey in The Force Awakens
Star Wars Movies BB-8 puppeteer says the Star Wars sequels are "no more polarizing than the prequels were"
Screenshot of a Clone Trooper shooting their gun from Star Wars: Zero Company
Strategy Games Star Wars Zero Company devs have spent a lot of time "going on Wookieepedia" to get the lore right
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Star Wars Movies Lord and Miller seemingly confirm they were signed on for more than one Han Solo Star Wars movie
Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies Every new Star Wars movie and TV show currently in the works
Luke Skywalker using his lightsaber to deflect a blaster shot from Boba Fett
Marvel Comics Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge gets a tie-in comic that sets up the new story of the Disney attraction
Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary
Sci-Fi Movies Project Hail Mary has convinced me to start getting excited for Star Wars: Starfighter
John Boyega in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars Movies John Boyega says he's spoken to Lucasfilm president Dave Filoni about coming back to Star Wars
Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary
Sci-Fi Movies Project Hail Mary directors say Steven Spielberg pitched that Close Encounters Easter egg
How to watch the Star Wars movies in order
Star Wars Movies How to watch the Star Wars movies in order (release and chronological)
Star Wars timeline: a screenshot of The Empire Strikes Back.
Star Wars Movies Star Wars timeline: Every major event in chronological order
Ryan Gosling and Flynn Gray in Star Wars: Starfighter
Star Wars Movies Tom Cruise interrupted filming on Star Wars: Starfighter by landing his helicopter on set
Din Djarin and Grogu in The Mandalorian & Grogu
Sci-Fi Movies The Mandalorian and Grogu: everything we know so far about the next Star Wars movie
Star Wars Movies After 4 years of no Luke Skywalker, Star Wars fans are plotting ways in which he can return to the franchise
The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies Star Wars fans are discussing one major moment in The Rise of Skywalker
Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story
Star Wars Movies Longtime Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy has regrets about Solo: A Star Wars Story
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Sci-Fi Movies
  4. Star Wars Movies
  5. Solo: A Star Wars Story

Solo director Ron Howard shares the one piece of advice George Lucas gave him about making a Star Wars movie: "Don't forget – it's for 12-year-old boys"

News
By Emily Garbutt published 15 August 2025

Ron Howard reflects on making Solo: A Star Wars Story

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story
(Image credit: Walt Disney Studios)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Solo: A Star Wars Story director Ron Howard says he was given one piece of advice by George Lucas when he took on the project: remember the audience.

"I talked to him once early, when I was just thinking about doing it. He wasn’t active on the films, but he said, 'Just don’t forget – it’s for 12-year-old boys,'" Howard told Vulture

"I’d always been curious about Star Wars, and Solo landed in my lap when I didn’t have another movie set to go," he said of taking on the project, describing a breakfast with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy in London that turned into a meeting with producer Alli Shearmur and screenwriter Jonathan Kasdan. "They basically said, 'We’ve reached a creative impasse with [Phil] Lord and [Chris] Miller. Would you ever consider coming in?'"

You may like
  • Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story Longtime Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy has regrets about Solo: A Star Wars Story
  • Solo: A Star Wars Story Lord and Miller seemingly confirm they were signed on for more than one Han Solo Star Wars movie
  • Shawn Levy Deadpool and Wolverine director Shawn Levy compares his Star Wars movie to Stranger Things

Released in 2018, Solo served as an origin story for Han Solo and Chewbacca, following how the pair met and their first heist together, 10 years before the events of A New Hope. Alden Ehrenreich played Han, alongside Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian. The cast also included Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Thandiwe Newton, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

"I looked at some edited footage, and I saw what was bothering them. There was a studio that liked the script the way it was and wanted a Star Wars movie, but there was a disconnect early on tonally, and they weren’t convinced that what Phil and Chris were doing was working effectively," Howard continued.

"I couldn’t judge that because I didn’t see enough of it to know. But they were sure. Once I said, 'Okay, I think I can do this script, and I think I understand what you want of this script,' they said, 'We’d want to reshoot a lot.' I looked at the whole movie and then pointed out some things that I thought were great. And Phil and Chris were incredibly gracious throughout that process. They were just seeing two different movies. So I came in, I had a blast, but there’s nothing personal about that film whatsoever. It’s still just a shame."

The movie received mixed reviews (it holds a score of 69% on Rotten Tomatoes) and was a box office bomb, with reports in 2019 suggesting that the movie made a loss of around $76 million.

The next big-screen adventure from the galaxy far, far away is The Mandalorian & Grogu, which arrives in theaters on May 22, 2026. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the other upcoming Star Wars movies and shows on the way.

TOPICS
Lucasfilm
Emily Garbutt
Emily Garbutt
Social Links Navigation
Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related. I help bring you all the latest news, features, and reviews, as well as helming our Big Screen Spotlight column. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story
Star Wars Movies Longtime Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy has regrets about Solo: A Star Wars Story
 
 
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Star Wars Movies Lord and Miller seemingly confirm they were signed on for more than one Han Solo Star Wars movie
 
 
Shawn Levy
Star Wars Movies Deadpool and Wolverine director Shawn Levy compares his Star Wars movie to Stranger Things
 
 
Kathleen Kennedy standing with a bunch of Stormtroopers
Star Wars Movies Kathleen Kennedy provides less-than-promising updates on Star Wars movies that are seemingly still in development hell
 
 
Taika Waititi in a pink suit
Star Wars Movies Taika Waititi says his upcoming Star Wars film will "harness a little more of the fun" of the original trilogy
 
 
Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies Every new Star Wars movie and TV show currently in the works
 
 
Latest in Star Wars Movies
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Star Wars Movies Lord and Miller seemingly confirm they were signed on for more than one Han Solo Star Wars movie
 
 
Daisy Ridley as Rey in The Force Awakens
Star Wars Movies BB-8 puppeteer says the Star Wars sequels are "no more polarizing than the prequels were"
 
 
John Boyega in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars Movies John Boyega says he's spoken to Lucasfilm president Dave Filoni about coming back to Star Wars
 
 
Ryan Gosling and Flynn Gray in Star Wars: Starfighter
Star Wars Movies Tom Cruise interrupted filming on Star Wars: Starfighter by landing his helicopter on set
 
 
Luke Skywalker using his lightsaber to deflect a blaster shot from Boba Fett
Marvel Comics Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge gets a tie-in comic that sets up the new story of the Disney attraction
 
 
Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin unmasked in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies The Mandalorian and Grogu runtime may have been revealed by a UK theater chain listing, but take it with a pinch of salt
 
 
Latest in News
A Crimson Desert character goes fishing in a river
RPGs Crimson Desert replaces some AI-generated assets left in the game by accident "as part of ongoing visual improvements"
 
 
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
RPGs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Maelle actor recorded her audition at 2am while in bed because "she forgot to do it"
 
 
Young Kratos
God of War God of War's Kratos is covered in ash because dev saw unfinished art on white paper and thought it was "really cool"
 
 
Boro and Alta sit on a bench together in Wanderstop
Simulation Games The Stanley Parable creator and Minecraft composer's indie studio is shutting down: "It's a particularly tough time"
 
 
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 character Henry wounded
RPGs Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 dev says he was "fired" and replaced with AI: "I feel incredibly betrayed"
 
 
Final Fantasy 9
Final Fantasy Long-rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake is apparently on ice with "no new movement", according to reliable insider
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
    1
    Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Maelle actor recorded her audition at 2am while in bed because "she forgot to do it"
  2. 2
    Crimson Desert replaces AI-generated assets left in the game by accident "as part of ongoing visual improvements," alongside improvements to loading and controls
  3. 3
    God of War's pale hero Kratos is covered in ash because a lead dev saw unfinished concept art on white paper and thought it was "really cool"
  4. 4
    Steam made him "radioactive," but the creator of banned horror game Horses wants his next project to be just as disturbing: "I need to stay loyal to the vision"
  5. 5
    Nintendo 64 gets a Skyrim-sized open-world game as dev busts the infamous fog that's defined the console for 30 years

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...