The Lego Movie directors are working on a new Star Wars spin-off about young Han Solo

The next adventure in the Star Wars anthology series – following the announcement of Felicity Jones-starring Rogue One, due for release next year – will reveal "how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley."

No further details or casting announcements have been made just yet, but Disney will no doubt be looking for someone rather special to take on the role of Han, who has been played by Harrison Ford since 1977.

Miller and Lord, who directed The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street, are on board to helm the project and have called the job "a dream come true."

"This is the first film we’ve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with. We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us. This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where you’re late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise you’ve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all," said the excited pair in a statement.

The screenplay for the upcoming tale has been written by father and son duo Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan. Lawrence, who also penned Raiders of the Lost Ark, will be a familiar name for Star Wars fans – he is credited with co-writing The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

“It’s not just any filmmaker who can tell the story of such a beloved icon like Han Solo, and I’m excited to say we’ve found the perfect team to handle the task," said producer Kathleen Kennedy. "Larry and Jon know all there is to know about the character, and Chris and Phil will bring their wit, style, energy and heart to tell Han’s story."

The untitled Han Solo film is set to hit cinemas on 25th May 2018

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