Ron Howard's latest set photo from the young Han Solo spinoff movie hints at an obscure Star Wars Easter egg that even the most dedicated fans might have trouble deciphering. Since taking over for the fired Phil Lord and Chris Miller in June, the Oscar-winner has been hard at work getting the anthology film back on track, helping change the conversation around it by teasing his social media followers with a wide array of behind-the-scenes images that showcase everything from mysterious new locations to actors in their costumes. With Emilia Clarke becoming the latest member of the cast to wrap the project, Howard seems close to finishing filming, but there's still some scenes left to shoot.
Whenever a film franchise runs as long as Star Wars has, it goes without saying that there will be some fun Easter eggs peppered throughout future installments for viewers to spot out. Both The Force Awakens and Rogue One included several - some obvious and others a little more hidden. Based on Howard's latest look at his film, Han Solo is going to include at least one Easter egg of the vague variety that could pay homage to a franchise icon.
Taking to Twitter, Howard posted a cryptic picture of a piece of stone with markings engraved in it. It seems even Howard is somewhat confused, but his hashtags may hold a clue as to what he's referring to. You can take a look at his tweet in the space below:
Can anybody translate for me? #McQuarrie #UntitledHanSoloMovie pic.twitter.com/mbKltvhFbW— Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) September 26, 2017
What's most telling in Howard's caption is his use of "#McQuarrie." This is most likely a nod to famed concept artist Ralph McQuarrie, whose drawings for the original trilogy helped sell 20th Century Fox on George Lucas' concepts. Since being acquired by Disney, Lucasfilm's new Star Wars canon has incorporated some of McQuarrie's scrapped designs for the films and Rebels (Zeb is based on an early version of Chewbacca). Arguably the most notable example over the past couple of years is Darth Vader's castle on Mustafar in Rogue One, but there are several other instances that people have pointed out. It wouldn't be out of the question for Han Solo to look to the past for some inspiration in its production design. While it's difficult to say what exactly this photo could be, the markings are reminiscent to those seen in McQuarrie drawings of Jabba the Hutt's palace, so perhaps Howard is filming a scene or two there.
Jabba showing up in Han Solo makes a great deal of sense, considering the two already had an established history by the time Luke Skywalker met Han in A New Hope. In fact, it's already been rumored the grotesque slug has a role in the spinoff, so fans are already expecting Jabba to be shown in some capacity. While some moviegoers are eager to see Star Wars move away from so-called legacy elements, including the mob boss could make for a fun scene that fleshes out some of Han's backstory in the criminal underworld. Many would probably be more accepting of this than another Darth Vader cameo, as Jabba reads as a more natural fit in Han Solo's story. And with Lucasfilm allegedly exploring the possibility of a Jabba spinoff, Howard could plant the seeds for that movie in his film.
MORE: Emilia Clarke Wraps Han Solo Film
Source: Ron Howard
