In a revelation that will surprise no one, Solo: A Star Wars Story leading man Alden Ehrenreich has confirmed Harrison Ford still despises the Ewoks. While Ford would be the first to acknowledge the impact Star Wars and the character of Han Solo had on his career, he's had a famously touchy relationship with the series. He's openly not a big fan of sci-fi or fantasy and thus had a hard time relating to the material while filming the original trilogy.
It wasn't known if Ford would even reprise the role for Return Of The Jedi, which led to his freezing at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. The original vision for Jedi was darker, and Ford wished for Solo to die during the story to give it more stakes. Instead, creator George Lucas opted for a more upbeat, kid-friendly narrative, which included introducing a cuddly race of creatures dubbed the Ewoks. Despite these little creatures being brave enough to take on stormtroopers in battle, they're an extremely divisive element among fans, and Ford's hatred of them is legendary.
Related: Solo: Watch Harrison Ford Crash Alden Ehrenreich's Interview
Solo: A Star Wars Story lead Alden Ehrenreich confirmed Ford's feelings on the Ewoks hasn't mellowed in recent years during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The actor met Ford prior to filming, and the veteran star acted as an informal advisor to Ehrenreich throughout production. During this process the young actor got to hear more of Ford's views on the furry warriors, stating:
He still doesn't like the Ewoks. think that's a big thing for him. He hates Ewoks. It's like FAO Schwartz [to him], he didn't like them.
The use of Ewoks in Return Of The Jedi was seen – and is still seen – by many as a cynical ploy by Lucas to sell more toys, which is a view seemingly shared by Ford. While Ford can seem grumpy about his Star Wars legacy, he seems more willing to embrace it in recent years. This includes his return to the character one final time for The Force Awakens, where he finally got his wish for the character to die.
The production of Solo: A Star Wars Story has been a noticeably troubled one, with original directors Phil Lord & Chris Miller being replaced during production despite having shot around 80% of the movie. Ron Howard was quickly airdropped in to replace them and reshoot most of the script, and judging by the early reactions has managed to craft a fun adventure, with Ehrenreich said to be a worthy successor to Ford's blaster.
More: Solo: Lord & Miller Didn't Challenge Director Credit
Source: Jimmy Kimmel Live!
