UPDATE! Han Solo: Paul Bettany Joins Star Wars Cast

Director Ron Howard keeps on delivering with new updates on the Han Solo movie, and the latest one concerns a supporting character in the film. Since Michael K. Williams is unavailable for filming at this time, Paul Bettany (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War) will be portraying the character that Wiliams would have played.

 

 

Howard made the announcement on Force Friday via Twitter that he’d be working with Bettany again:

 

 

 

Howard and Bettany have previously collaborated on A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code, and the two being familiar with one another most likely means that they’ll know how to efficiently wrap production. What’s most interesting, however, is /Film‘s report on the situation, which suggests that Bettany will be playing the character that Michael K. Williams was going to portray:

 

Bettany will be playing the exact same character Williams was set to play, with the same name and motivations. However, the character will now be a human instead of a motion-capture alien. The change makes sense – with the project undergoing extensive reshoots following the firing of original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the visual effects team at ILM probably doesn’t have enough time to create a new digital character from scratch.

 

While there are some concerns over Williams losing the role, it should be noted that this ultimately came down to scheduling. In addition, said role was not very large, and it’s likely that Williams will be getting another shot at leaving his mark on the Galaxy Far, Far Away soon enough. In any case, Bettany is great actor to have in a supporting role and a great addition to the franchise.

 

 

 

UPDATE!

 

It seems that according to Deadline (who first broke the news of Michael K Williams dropping from the movie) Bettany will not play Williams’ character in Han Solo, but a completely different one. Here’s what they said:

 

Sources tell Deadline that Bettany will be playing a completely different character. Outer Rim is a hint to Han Solo’s haunting ground, the outer rim of the galaxy where all types of illegal activities happen. Odds are that Bettany’s character is one of those rowdy types.

 

So, as you can see we have two contradicting reports. Knowing that Deadline actually broke the news about Williams, perhaps their story is more accurate. We will have to wait and see, but I really don’t think it matters much.

 

Thanks to SerhVLF for the heads up.

 

 

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58 thoughts on “UPDATE! Han Solo: Paul Bettany Joins Star Wars Cast

  • September 2, 2017 at 3:45 pm
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    Ron Howard definitely has vision.

    • September 2, 2017 at 5:04 pm
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      Sure, Howard has Vision. But I’m not sure Kennedy allows any of her directors to have vision.

      • September 2, 2017 at 5:29 pm
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        Go argue that with Rian on twitter.

          • September 2, 2017 at 7:06 pm
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            George makes prequels: People complain that they are too different and don’t feel like the originals.

            Sequel movies are made: People complain that they are too much like the originals and don’t feel new.

            /eyeroll

          • September 2, 2017 at 11:20 pm
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            If anything kills off Star Wars it will be the fans that complain the loudest.

          • September 3, 2017 at 6:12 am
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            I don’t even know if there’s enough of those kinds of fans to kill Star Wars, the thing that will kill Star Wars is when general audiences aren’t interested in watching Star Wars anymore. Star Wars has lasted a while off of just the fan base but I don’t think it will last forever off of the fan base.

          • September 3, 2017 at 2:18 pm
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            True, but my concern is that filmmakers will pander to out spoken fans. Now I understand the outcry over the PT, but can see what Lucas was attempting. The complaints though IMO stifled the creative potential of TFA and thus the familiar beats we enjoy and make Star Wars what it is became more of a retread. If this trend continues the general fans will turn and reading the boards there are already concerns on TLJ with the use of walkers. Hopefully TLJ will give us a firm sequel that stands on its own. The only thing trying new approaches currently IMO are the anthology films.

          • September 4, 2017 at 3:29 am
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            The issue I find was that LF’s calculated risk of playing it safe was a double edged sword that is working against them. Because, TFA was really a nostalgia filled movie. There is nothing wrong with nostalgia. It is a wonderful feeling and that theater experience seeing TFA I will always remember. But really, nostalgia is like a Big mac: it tastes great, but upon getting one’s fill, it is kind of empty and leaves a lot to be desired.

            And really, my issue with them playing it safe was less due to the ANH rehash(though, that was annoying), but really how mystery box oriented the storyline was and MCU like they had tired to be. I love the MCU, but SWs should have looked less at Marvel and more at LOTRS, a better movie trilogy. Where each movie was made to yeah be a piece in a single story, but intrinsically held value.

            Fellowship to me was a great film, while also being a stepping stone for Two Towers and ROTK. And while I find people gripping about ships superficial, I can understand the fear.

            Because, really; knowing Abrams history with his mystery box, I can see some really expecting those elements to not be addressed. Now, do I think they will be? Yes. RJ isn’t stupid. He clearly knows what he is doing.I am more keen on Abrams and KK if anything.

            So yeah, fingers crossed. I pray that LF knows what it is doing.

          • September 3, 2017 at 9:23 pm
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            Nah. I’d be surprised if complaining fans have much of an impact at all. Lucasfilm doesn’t care about some Internet whiners that spend their days bashing movies that they’re going to see anyway. Lucasfilm cares about ticket sales, merchandise sales, Celebration attendance, and measurable things like that. And yeah….things look pretty solid in those departments. And the vast majority of complaining happens on the Internet. I highly doubt there is some Lucasfilm exec scanning through sites like this, scratching their head, and wondering where Star Wars went wrong because BaronBlueSith or some such other anonymous fool is endlessly bellyaching over a franchise they claim to dislike….but continue to talk about.

          • September 3, 2017 at 9:30 pm
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            Good points, but consider how much twitter for example is used. We now have directors answering questions directly, so makes sense they might read random posts over the internet. So at some basic level there is a good chance of a slow influence.

          • September 4, 2017 at 1:56 am
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            True. I’ve never used Twitter so I can’t really speak to that. Still, I’d imagine that anyone at Lucasfilm reading these would take a lot of them with a huge grain of salt.

          • September 3, 2017 at 1:57 am
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            The fact that people people hate the prequels is not because they feel too different dude.

          • September 3, 2017 at 6:08 am
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            That’s definitely one of the reasons that gets thrown around a lot along with the usual too much CGI reliance, too bad of a script, bad directing, bad comedic relief, but hey at least it had good music.

          • September 3, 2017 at 10:32 pm
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            People do not hate prequels. Some people yes, but alot of us like them.

          • September 2, 2017 at 7:08 pm
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            there HAS to be a certain level of fan service, if you didn’t think that was going to happen then i dunno what to tell you.

          • September 2, 2017 at 7:13 pm
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            What you expected the remnants of the Empire to just totally switch technology and designs. That doesnt make sense. It makes perfect sense that technology just evolved over the 30 years post ROTJ.

          • September 3, 2017 at 9:55 pm
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            As he said, it’s all on him…take it up with him.

          • September 3, 2017 at 10:31 pm
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            I agree. More we learn about TLJ, the more it looks like TESB rip-off. Ships, walkers, speeders, everything looks like rip-off, more of the same. I wanted something new.

          • September 4, 2017 at 1:57 am
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            You might need to look beyond some surface similarities. If you’re able to do that, you’re likely to find a vastly different story.

          • September 4, 2017 at 3:21 am
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            It even has Luke Skywalker in it. And HE was in TESB 🙂

            I’m not sure though – I’m not getting that vibe. I think it’s going to be really different. I just hope it’s “good” different, not “bad” different.

          • September 4, 2017 at 12:58 am
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            Fortunately movies are about characters and stories and not vehicles. Why is it so hard for you to wait to see the movie at least once to make a judgement about how original it is?

          • September 5, 2017 at 2:57 pm
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            You don’t know that yet.

  • September 2, 2017 at 3:52 pm
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    Cool… They really are reshaping this sucker. I weirdly feel it’s for the better. Or at least I hope. I get this feeling it wasn’t working and now that Lord/Miller are gone it’s on track. Not throwing them under the bus or anything. They are talented guys. Sometimes things just don’t fit.

    • September 2, 2017 at 7:30 pm
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      Well, certainly that’s what Disney and LFL would very much like you to be thinking.

  • September 2, 2017 at 4:37 pm
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    I guess nobody told ’em that Ed Skrein is available.

    • September 2, 2017 at 4:49 pm
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      I see what you did there. And… yeah, but this is kind of a different situation.

      • September 2, 2017 at 7:30 pm
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        LFL IS HUMANWASHING!!!!!!!

      • September 2, 2017 at 8:23 pm
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        Bettany’s a solid talent. I like Ron Howard’s usual pool of actors — I’d actually much rather see Russel Crowe’s take on Obi-Wan than Yawn McGregor. Perhaps when that film goes through it’s first round of departures due to creative differences, we’ll wind up with Ron directing and Russel starring. (Stranger things have happened.)

  • September 2, 2017 at 5:29 pm
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    Funny how everyone is now really “optimistic” about this film, like Ron is some sort of Midas. I love the guy but we still have the same producers, the same script, the same lead, the same release date and it’s the same movie, so I’m still skeptical.

    • September 2, 2017 at 7:11 pm
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      And why I am “optimistic” I have never really enjoyed a Lord and Miller film. I do have an inner child and have really enjoyed some childish films, but my wife and I walked out of the Lego Movie really really annoyed.

    • September 2, 2017 at 7:44 pm
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      The problem wasn’t the producers, the script, the actors or the release date. The problem was the directors not making the movie that Lucasfilm, the producers and directors originally agreed to make.

      • September 2, 2017 at 8:12 pm
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        That is not actually what sounds like happened. According to every source that’s chimed in so far on the situation, it was clear from the very beginning that, whatever it in fact was, Lord and Miller were making their movie their way. Kennedy was aware of what they wanted to do, gave them the contract anyways, thinking (much like with R1) she could force them to change it as they went along. Unlike what happened on R1, L&M held fast instead of allowing Kennedy to appoint another director over them who they would have to work under. This sounds like a mess of KK’s making.

        • September 2, 2017 at 8:16 pm
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          No my apprentice… Lord and Miller wanted to bastardize Kasden’s script, turning it into an Ace Ventura inspired, live action Lego Movie-like laugh-fest disaster. Kudos to KK for kicking them out on their ass.

          • September 3, 2017 at 12:07 pm
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            “Kudos to KK” – omg are you a racist with your coded KKK reference and your cheerleading of someone who has fired a black man and replaced him with an Aryan blond white man.

          • September 3, 2017 at 6:51 pm
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            You’re joking, right? Katleen Kennedy? The Miller bros are not black.

          • September 3, 2017 at 7:20 pm
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            You’re obviously a Blue supremacist.

          • September 4, 2017 at 1:54 am
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            You got me

        • September 2, 2017 at 8:31 pm
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          I’m sure KK was willing to allow them SOME leeway in how much of their style of film making they injected into the movie, as long as they mostly stuck to the script story wise and didn’t go overly comedic. Apparently they were going well off script and also changing who Han, as a character, is. Whether that’s true or not I don’t know. It’s all he said she said anyway. We’ll never know the factual truth. I just want a good movie lol

    • September 4, 2017 at 3:15 am
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      I am with you on being skeptical over Han Solo. And let me be clear; I really do not like him as a character. Ford was great, but he was always my least favorite and kind of dull as a character.

      Hence, when Lord and Miller were attached I was ecstatic, as I am a big fan of their work and Han Solo I could see working well. And I didn’t even mind the guy. But I also acknowledge those who do not want Han to have a movie. The mystery of his past I can see being a big allure of the character. Does that mean that I don’t think a movie could succeed? No.

      The Han Solo book trilogy was a fantastic example and one of the only time where I liked the character, outside of ESB. But I digress. But with Lord and Miller gone, I really am less excited. I like Ron Howard, but a lot of his more recent stuff I really couldn’t care.

      So yeah; do I hope that this movie does well? Sure. But really, I argue KK messed up when picking this movie. Yeah, it is one thing to have an Obi-wan film, because to me there is a good story that could be told. But that should be the ONLY established character.

      Use the anthologies much like what Legends did: extrapolate on concepts and ideas that may seem throwaway, but have a lot of depth. Or aspects of the lore which could be interesting, cough Mandalorian War. But hey that is my view.

    • September 5, 2017 at 2:57 pm
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      And the script was the thing everyone loved. So yeah, we are still in good hands.

  • September 2, 2017 at 7:31 pm
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    Paul Bettany is a super talented actor, i’m glad that he got the role.

    • September 2, 2017 at 8:15 pm
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      Lol Man Ray for the win!

  • September 2, 2017 at 8:18 pm
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    Making the Character human seems lazy…throw some prosthetics on him and make him an alien. Make him a Zabrak or somethig…easy. I am glad theyre not just cutting the character all together though.

  • September 3, 2017 at 2:53 am
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    “The character will now be a human instead of a motion-capture alien”.
    Well, i like this news. One less cgi character/creature to worry about

    • September 3, 2017 at 10:26 pm
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      I like CGI creatures. I’am bored of humans and aliens that look like humans with mask.

      • September 3, 2017 at 10:29 pm
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        YES! I love all the new aliens in the prequels but even more so since the Disney take over.

      • September 4, 2017 at 3:32 am
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        CGI looks too fake.

        • September 4, 2017 at 7:34 pm
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          Tell that to K-2SO

          • September 5, 2017 at 2:37 am
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            Robots have far less of an issue with the uncanny valley than organic characters, though admittedly Kent made a blanket statement about CGI in general.

          • September 5, 2017 at 6:40 am
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            Of course he did. Blanket statements are the only statements he makes.

    • September 3, 2017 at 11:00 pm
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      I am getting tired of seeing humans run this galaxy. Was looking forward to more CG aliens.

      • September 4, 2017 at 12:23 am
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        I really love aliens in SW ( in the way OT, RO and TFA did). Is the excessive CGI that bothers me (and when the characters have so much agressive movements its still distracting, in my opinion). I prefer great makeups and costumes although Maz Kanata was good for exemple (a combination with common sense, never put the cgi over the story, like most of actual blockbusters).

  • September 3, 2017 at 4:29 am
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    Geoffrey Chaucer in Star Wars

    • September 4, 2017 at 5:00 am
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      Wat.

  • September 4, 2017 at 2:44 am
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    Whats with the ‘Outer Rim’ being capitalized in the article quote? Is that the name of the movie now? I ask because it’s capitalized once as if it IS the name but when it’s used in a general sense later in the same sentence it’s not capitalized.

  • September 9, 2017 at 10:38 pm
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    Wow, Isn’t Snoke supposed to be from the outer rim, doesn’t Bettany look a lot like a young Snoke omg I think I’ve gone done an solved it folks.

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