Fans finally have their first real look at Alden Ehrenreich's Han Solo, and based on the early returns, the actor looks like he was the right choice. Recasting the iconic role made famous by living legend Harrison Ford for Solo: A Star Wars Story was no easy task, so Lucasfilm went through an arduous casting process that saw no less than 2,500 actors try out. The first man who auditioned, Ehrenreich, landed the part and the spotlight will be on him in a major way. Leading a Star Wars film is a pressure-packed gig, but at least the likes of Daisy Ridley and Felicity Jones had the freedom of crafting original characters. Ehrenreich is portraying one of the most beloved Star Wars figures of all-time and has been under the microscope from day one.Despite the best efforts of the behind-the-scenes team, Ehrenreich bears little physical resemblance to Ford. Ultimately, Solo is going to come down to whether or not the Hail, Caesar! standout can capture the spirit of the smuggler and convincingly sell audiences that he is Han. The situation is similar to the first Star Trek film in the Kelvin Timeline, which starred younger versions of the classic Enterprise crew. There, audiences responded well to the new Kirk and Spock, so will Star Wars fans take to the new Han? Ehrenreich seems to have passed his first test, but he still has a ways to go after all the film's been through.
The Worry About Alden
In typical Star Wars form, Ehrenreich was plucked out of relative obscurity to star as Han in Solo, poised to have his big breakout after years of smaller roles. Prior to joining the galaxy far, far away, the actor's highest-profile project was the Coen brothers' comedy Hail, Caesar!, where he played Hobie Doyle. Though the film itself earned a mixed response from viewers, Ehrenreich was frequently cited as one of its best parts, demonstrating the charm and screen presence of a leading man. When he was cast as Han, it was somewhat unexpected (his name never came up in the multitude of rumors), but many seemed onboard with the idea. That changed over time, however.
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As many people know by now, Solo's original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were fired in June 2017 (four months into filming) due to creative differences with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan. In the aftermath of that unprecedented situation, a troubling report emerged stating the studio brought in an acting coach midway through production in order to help Ehrenreich improve his performance. Though acting coaches are fairly common on film sets, the timing of all this raised red flags. Some blew things out of proportion by saying it was an indictment on Ehrenreich's abilities and Solo was doomed because he "can't act."
In actuality, the decision to bring on the acting coach may have stemmed more from the director switch than anything Ehrenreich did. One of the reasons why Lord and Miller were dismissed was because they were frequently going off-script and encouraging comedic improv, making Solo a more humorous film than initially anticipated. Much like Howard was hired to steer the ship back on course and steady the waters, the acting coach could have been a simple, standard measure to calm everything down after a hectic period and aid Ehrenreich in adjusting to Howard's style. The actor also has to emulate the mannerisms and persona of the Han we all know and love, which is no walk in the park for anyone. Ehrenreich needs to find the tricky balance between making the role his own and honoring what came before.
Still, with other reports comparing Ehrenreich's take to Ace Ventura of all people, many fans grew even more concerned. Not only was Solo now in the hands of an erratic (albeit Oscar-winning) director, Lucasfilm was entrusting one of their signature characters to a newcomer yet to prove himself. Numerous questions were raised about the project's potential quality, but the studio took their first steps to changing the conversation by finally unveiling the first trailer. As the whole world watched, Ehrenreich showed he was up for the challenge.
Alden Ehrenreich Is Han Solo
Though the trailer is a mere 90-second teaser, it's loaded with evidence that should put people's minds at ease when fretting about the new Han. Ehrenreich certainly looks the part of a dashing rogue and fortunately doesn't come across as miscast. It also doesn't hurt he'll be reciting dialogue from the one writer in Hollywood who knows Han Solo the best (other than George Lucas). Kasdan was behind The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and The Force Awakens, all of which feature Han in a meaningful role. Empire and Force Awakens are arguably the character at his best. From the jump, Kasdan displays an understanding of young Han's mentality by having him say, "I'm gonna be a pilot. Best in the galaxy." That's the type of confidence we've always associated with Solo.
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But solid screenwriting can only go so far. Whereas the Super Bowl spot kept Ehrenreich in the shadows mostly, the trailer proudly displays him front and center. Thankfully, there are two key moments that leap out and feel like Han Solo - even though Ehrenreich neither looks nor sounds like Ford. Perhaps intentionally, they're both saved for the very end. Prior to the title card, Emilia Clarke's Qi'Ra tells Han that she's the only person "who knows what you really are." This leads to Solo flashing his trademark smirk and asking, "What's that?" It's a brief bit, but highly important. It's the essence of the character boiled down to a couple of fleeting seconds and it's effective at illustrating Ehrenreich's command of the role. One can easily buy him as a scoundrel with the line delivery and posturing he does.
The other instance happens as the trailer comes to a close, teasing the ubiquitous "Millennium Falcon chased by TIE fighters" set piece. In what appears to be the Kessel Run, Han pulls off a daring maneuver to discard one of the Imperial ships and then turns back to face Lando and Qi'Ra. With all the typical Solo bravado he states, "Thought we were in trouble there for a second, but it's fine. We're fine" as he smiles to his friends (before a tentacle monster presents another obstacle to deal with). Again, once your brain gets past the fact it's someone other than Harrison Ford in the pilot's seat, the scene plays as something that was pulled from the original trilogy. The Kessel Run could be Solo's answer to the asteroid field chase, adding to the growing list of thrilling action sequences in the series. And Ehrenreich seems game to deliver a few more classic Han moments.
Of course, there's only so much that can be gleaned from the trailer, and more light should be shed on Ehrenreich's performance as the marketing campaign continues. Still, this is a good start that shows Lucasfilm's casting department knows how to find the best talent for the job. Ehrenreich's status as a fresh face will also be of benefit to Solo, since most moviegoers will come in without any prior baggage. Compared to his competition, Ehrenreich wasn't as famous a name, making it easy for him to slide into the role without it being too jarring. The spinoff is set to be his coming out party, and it fortunately looks like one many will want to attend.
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Ehrenreich's full performance will inevitably be compared to Ford, and while it would be better if his turn was judged on its own merits, it will be difficult to not recall memories of the original Han while watching him. This is why the first Solo trailer was arguably the franchise's most significant since the initial Force Awakens teaser. From the moment this spinoff was announced, it was met with a great deal of trepidation given its premise, and that was only magnified once the production issues took hold. Lucasfilm had to sell a lot of people on Solo being a worthwhile romp through the galaxy. One good trailer doesn't make a complete movie good, but it's the first step Lucasfilm needed. The trailer landed and people are excited to see what the movie has to offer - including Ehrenreich himself.
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