THR Shares More Details on the Han Solo Production Issues.

In a new and very interesting article by The Hollywood Reporter we get more details from sources close to the production about some of the things that caused the breakdown between Kathleen Kennedy, Lawrence Kasdan and Lord and Miller. Check it out.

 

 

From THR:

 

Lord and Miller’s style of filming:

Matters had already reached a boiling point in mid-June when Phil Lord and Chris Miller, co-directors of the still-untitled young Han Solo movie, were in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon but didn’t start shooting until 1 p.m. That day the two used only three different setups — that is, three variations on camera placement — as opposed to the 12 to 15 that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy had expected, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Not only was the going slow, but the few angles that had been shot did not provide a wealth of options to use in editing the movie.

 

 

An editor was fired and an acting coach was hired:

Matters were coming to a head in May as the production moved from London to the Canary Islands. Lucasfilm replaced editor Chris Dickens (Macbeth) with Oscar-winner Pietro Scalia, a veteran of Ridley Scott films including Alien: Covenant and The Martian. And, not entirely satisfied with the performance that the directors were eliciting from Rules Don’t Apply star Alden Ehrenreich, Lucasfilm decided to bring in an acting coach. (Hiring a coach is not unusual; hiring one that late in production is.) Lord and Miller suggested writer-director Maggie Kiley, who worked with them on 21 Jump Street.

 

 

For what it’s worth we continue to stay behind the words of our sources that Alden’s performance in the movie gives uniqueness to the character in a very good way. That’s their opinion.

 

 

Ron Howard joins the project with grace:

Stepping in to replace directors who have been fired is not something that many filmmakers would want to do. Ron Howard is probably one of the few who could and would — at least, in this particular set of circumstances. Insiders say he was concerned about how Lord and Miller would react and has been emailing with them; another source says the two have been “very supportive, very elegant.” Howard arrives in London on June 26 and shooting, which began in February and was supposed to be completed in July, will continue into the first week of September as Howard captures new material. Still, an insider says much of what Lord and Miller shot will be “very usable.”

 

 

Clarification on the applause:

A previous version of this article stated that the crew of the Han Solo spinoff broke into applause following the announcement of Ron Howard as director. In fact, these sources say the applause came at the end of the meeting in which the departure of Lord and Miller was announced and they were informed a new director would be arriving. These sources say the mood at the meeting was somber but there was applause “in support of the movie” (not in support of Lord and Miller’s departure).

 

 

As you see there’s been much going on in the last few weeks, but this project is very far from being doomed. For years there’s been a talk that the script is really, really good. The cast performance is said to be very good as well and the material that Lord and Miller shot is very far from being bad and unusable.

 

 

Make sure to read the full article at THR.

 

 

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

Born on April 24, 1980.

Val Trichkov (Viral Hide)

Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

39 thoughts on “THR Shares More Details on the Han Solo Production Issues.

  • June 27, 2017 at 1:42 pm
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    As I suspected, it seems highly unlikely that Lord & Miller would have shot every take of every scene as “improv”, but perhaps the improv scenes were adding something fresh?

    I can imagine someone like Donald Glover rolling with the improv approach, and maybe Ehrenreich struggled and was overshadowed ( purely my speculation as to why he snitched on the directors ).

    Or maybe Ehrenreich just isn’t very good, despite being basically handed the role due to his Hollywood connections and endorsements.

    Reminds me of when Sam Worthington was being “pushed” to be our next new BIG action star, and that failed miserably.

    • June 27, 2017 at 6:13 pm
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      “despite being basically handed the role due to his Hollywood connections and endorsements.”

      Move along…nothing to see here, folks.

  • June 27, 2017 at 1:45 pm
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    Seems weird that Kasdan wanted absolutely to stick to the script, and was supported by KK, but with Rogue One, the script that was given to Gareth Edwards to direct was overhauled after being shot ( at the behest of KK & co. ), and that was deemed okay because it wasn’t Edwards the director kicking up a fuss that the script wasn’t working.

    I look forward to the continuing developments of this movie – it sounds more exciting than the movie itself!

  • June 27, 2017 at 1:51 pm
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    I love the material and in-depth news that SWNN is putting out – have you guys thought about doing some video discussions as opposed to just the podcasts? Thanks

  • June 27, 2017 at 3:10 pm
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    “For what it’s worth we continue to stay behind the words of our sources that Alden’s performance in the movie gives uniqueness to the character in a very good way. That’s their opinion.” << Same here. I believe in your sources, that Aiden performance is pleasing Lucasfilm. The movie will work, I have faith in it.

    • June 27, 2017 at 4:22 pm
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      Their source is someone who works for Disney. They are clearly trying to spin this in a positive light. You can’t see that?

      • June 27, 2017 at 6:12 pm
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        Or a member of the crew.

      • June 28, 2017 at 3:17 pm
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        There are 2 contradictory reports. You can choose on what you believe. So can I.

    • June 27, 2017 at 9:54 pm
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      Right, right…they just decided after watching three months of footage that they’d bring in an acting coach on a lark. You know, for shits and giggles.

      • June 28, 2017 at 3:18 pm
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        If that really happened at all. Can we prove that?

      • June 28, 2017 at 8:33 pm
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        I liked him in Hail Caesar… where he was supposed to be playing a terrible actor. Hmmm.

  • June 27, 2017 at 3:16 pm
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    I work in film and have been on set before, 15 camera setups? That is ludicrous. Do they mean 15 angles including coverage to be shot in a whole day? That would make sense. turning over and moving equipment takes time. If they decided to say screw it and go against Lucasfilm and only doing 3 shots in a whole day then yeah, I can see why that would be a problem. I think we need more clarity on this.

    • June 27, 2017 at 3:52 pm
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      Most likely the sound stage stuff, like the attack on the Canteen.

      If you check the pictures available from the TFA sets, one picture of the Kylo and Rey fight already shows 5 cameras, and that’s a very narrow shot.

      They didn’t use that many cameras outdoors (plenty of examples of that in the first videos) but on the sound-stage they seem to have had everything covered with cameras. The shot from behind han and fin and rey from the teaser, where JJ is talking to them, you already see three cameras and that’s with most of the frame blocked.

    • June 27, 2017 at 6:12 pm
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      They mean coverage.

      • June 27, 2017 at 9:53 pm
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        How much coverage can you get in the Falcon’s cockpit though. You can’t setup inside the cockpit, and you could get like, max, three usable camera angles covering from the outside. That seems like an inane criticism.

        • June 27, 2017 at 10:42 pm
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          Obviously they were not always filming in the Falcon.

  • June 27, 2017 at 3:16 pm
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    This movie is already a disaster, cancel it or call anthony ingruber

    • June 27, 2017 at 6:11 pm
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      Wrong and leave that dork out of this.

    • June 27, 2017 at 9:51 pm
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      Good lord, there are still people talking about him? Get with the program – he’s a terrible actor, and because he’s terrible has had no subsequent acting work after that stunt casting in Adeline. Toot-Toot! The Anthony Ingruber train has left the station, fallen off a trestle bridge, and exploded in flames. It’s time to let it go.

    • June 29, 2017 at 6:26 am
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      Please excuse my French, but can we all collectively shut the fuck up about Anthony Ingruber? I thought he moved past him in 2015.

  • June 27, 2017 at 4:21 pm
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    Not exactly sure why this website is constantly trying to spin all of this like it’s no big deal. I mean I get it, they are in bed with Collider and Collider is a mouthpiece for Disney.

    • June 27, 2017 at 6:11 pm
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      Yeah, why would a Star Wars fansite hope for the best? Makes no sense.

      • June 27, 2017 at 6:34 pm
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        BIG Starkiller base sized difference between hoping for the best and actual reality of what is happening. Puppy Mill catches fire. I sure hope all those puppies made it all okay vs All the puppies died in the fire.

        It’s cool if the author wants to give his opinion and say hey I hope his turns out okay (I do too! I don’t want crappy Star Wars movies no matter how unessassry I think they are) than saying “nope don’t pay attention to all that stuff it’s not THAT big deal/ AKA fake news”. We see where that has all lead us in the USA. A large majority of the site is reporting the news about Star Wars (read the URL) Report what’s actually happening and not spinning it and sugar coating it. Please and thanks.

        • June 27, 2017 at 9:08 pm
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          If they didn’t want you to pay attention, they wouldn’t have written so many stories about it. Seems like they sure want someone to click on this stuff.
          Please and you’re welcome.

    • June 27, 2017 at 6:47 pm
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      It’s interesting that Lord & Miller have put out an official civil response with regards to the situation ( it was probably in their contract that they must not badmouth Lucasfilm & KK ), and yet so-called “insiders” and “sources”( perhaps Lucasfilm proxies? ) have been mostly spreading mud about Lord & Miller.

      It would be very, VERY interesting to try and get Lord & Miller’s own take on the situation via their OWN “proxies” if they exist.

      This whole story is fascinating, I must admit.

      I feel sadly that may end up with just an “okay” film at the end of all this due to all the shenanigans.

      • June 27, 2017 at 9:48 pm
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        Doubt it would have been anything in a contract. Simple Hollywood politics would dictate that, if they want to keep working for large studios, they don’t say anything stupid about the production until at least after it’s had its theatrical run.

  • June 27, 2017 at 5:53 pm
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    So directors can’t decide on how many setups they use? That they thought this was worth sharing and paints Lucasfilm in a positive light is staggering. I would think most directors would walk when their editor gets replaced, let alone the acting coach, and edicts on the number of setups. Looking forward to Ehrenreich’s Han Ventura, though.

    • June 27, 2017 at 9:45 pm
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      A-yup. This is sure as hell coming closer to passing the smell test for me than “Lord and Miller are idiots who were trying to make Ace Ventura in Space”.

  • June 27, 2017 at 10:07 pm
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    I’m confused. Earlier it was the content that was the main issue but now it’s how they were filming? Plus weren’t people supposedly concerned about this version of solo but now it’s also good? I wonder if we’ll ever get the full story. At the very least I’m glad the film won’t need a total tear down as it seemed last week.

    • June 27, 2017 at 10:54 pm
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      It reeks of spin. I mean it positively STINKS. Alden is so super great, and so protective of the character, and just didn’t think L&M we’re doing right by Han, and we have every confidence in him…so much confidence in fact that, three months in, we hired an acting coach for him. L&M were making an awful, awful movie that was like a Jim Carrey idiot-fest…most of which we’re going to use. Plus, they’re super immature jerks and threw a tantrum when all we wanted to do was control reshoots by having them report to another director. But they’ve been nothing but gracious and supportive of Howard. Also, the cast and crew all hated them, and spontaneous applause, cheering, and open displays of weeping were in evidence when Ron Howard was announced as their replacement…well, okay, it was polite applause at the end of the meeting where the production was told they were leaving, but rest assured LFL was soldiering on with the film.

      • June 28, 2017 at 5:54 am
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        Pretty much my thoughts exactly. Every new article about it changes something. First everyone was bashing L&M for turning Han into Ace Ventura (which I thought was pure bull shit), now most of what they shot is usable.

        We’ll probably never know what really happened, yet its perfectly acceptable to bash the directors and defend Lucasfilm…. Its ridiculous.

        • June 28, 2017 at 9:16 pm
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          Yet some are doing the opposite.

          How is that fine? We don’t know either way.

  • June 28, 2017 at 3:15 am
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    Thing is that Howard and Lord/Miller are nothing alike far as directing style goes, So I find it very hard to believe most of the footage shot is salvageable and think it will fill like two different films kind of like the whole Superman II debacle.

    • June 28, 2017 at 6:28 pm
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      Set pieces might be fine and a certain amount of character acting. Probably they just need to tone down some of the latter. I am sure they want especially to assure that fans like Han and Lando.

  • June 28, 2017 at 6:17 pm
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    Jar Jar Binks consumed Han Solo. Sounds like a potential disaster. But I am sure Kasdan has this.

  • June 29, 2017 at 4:00 am
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    I’m very curious about what was happening on the set. I wondered when Lord & Miller were chosen Kennedy and company thought that a lighter influence might give them a product closer to Guardians of the Galaxy. However it sounds like Kasdans script did not have the room for a punk rock romp through the Kessel Run. I will say this, if it’s true, they should not have been focusing on improv if they couldn’t get their setups ready on time. From my experience in indie film, that will leave you with no shots to cut to, which you need a lot of with improv. Otherwise you can’t connect disparate performances into a cohesive whole. That said I loved the Lego Movie, but animation can have all the room in the world for improv.

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