Solo: A Star Wars Story screenwriter Jonathan Kasdan explains why he still wants a sequel. As the second Star Wars anthology film after Rogue One, Solo was co-written by Lawrence Kasdan (who collaborated with George Lucas on The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi) and his son Jonathan. Despite receiving generally favorable reviews from critics, particularly for Alden Ehrenreich's lead performance, the spinoff film focusing on a young Han Solo grossed only $393.2 million worldwide, becoming the Star Wars franchise's first box office bomb, essentially shattering all hopes of a sequel to Solo.
However, Solo: A Star Wars Story screenwriter Jonathan Kasdan is still holding out hope for a sequel. During a recent interview with Josh Wilding of ComicBookMovie.com, Kasdan said he is still open to returning to the character of Solo for a follow-up film, which he actually believes could be better than the original. Read what Kasdan said below:
The reason for a Solo 2 is if there's a great reason, and certainly I'd be game if there was...there were so many great characters we were able to establish, and for me, the strongest argument for a Solo 2 is the movie was Alden's journey to owning that mantle, and by the end of it I thought he really did, and he didn't get the fun of getting to just inhabit it for a movie, so I'd love to see him back.
Could A Solo Sequel Happen?
Kasdan's comments provide an astute explanation for why Solo: A Star Wars Story didn't really connect with audiences, as Ehrenreich's version of the character was still in a developmental time in his life. However, a sequel would allow Ehrenreich to fully embrace a version of Han Solo closer to Harrison Ford's, which audiences clearly know and love. A Solo sequel could also capitalize on the various seeds planted in the first film, such as the Darth Maul and Bossk teases.
Despite how intriguing Kasdan's comments make a Solo sequel sound, it's unlikely to actually happen, at least on the big screen. Since Solo disappointed financially and Rise of Skywalker ended the Skywalker saga, the Star Wars franchise has mostly shifted focus to the small screen. For instance, Obi-Wan Kenobi originated as a spin-off film, but was reworked as a limited series following the commercial failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story. There are numerous Star Wars movies in development from various screenwriters, though Solo 2 is not one of them and doesn't seem to be a priority for Lucasfilm at this point.
If Ehrenreich does ever return to the role of Han Solo, it will likely be in a Disney+ series. Lucasfilm gave the green light to a Lando Calrissian series which will seemingly see Donald Glover reprise his from Solo: A Star Wars Story, thus opening the door for Ehrenreich to return, as well. With that series officially in development, Kasdan's unused ideas for a Solo sequel could make their into the show and serve as a quasi-followup to the spinoff film.
Source: Josh Wilding