The film titled “Solo: A Star Wars Story” stands out as one of the less recognized gems within the Star Wars series. Despite this, there are numerous aspects about it that I adore. Unfortunately, the 2018 release of Solo didn’t quite meet its mark in terms of success. It’s worth noting that it became the first Star Wars film ever to incur losses during its cinematic run. However, I would venture to say that for many viewers, their recollection of Solo is likely more favorable than their initial experience might suggest.
The disappointing performance of the movie “Solo” at the box office can be attributed to various reasons. Firstly, its release coincided with the controversial backlash surrounding “The Last Jedi.” Secondly, there was a lot of turmoil behind the scenes, including changes in directors and other dramas that were widely publicized. Furthermore, it came out during the same timeframe as “Avengers: Infinity War,” which was a much more significant focus for Disney marketing efforts. As a result, “Solo” faced stiff competition and struggled to gain traction. Despite its commercial failure, the film’s setbacks had severe consequences, leading Lucasfilm to reconsider their anthology plans and how they utilize established characters. This, in part, explains why we haven’t seen any new movies since 2019. Nevertheless, I would like to express my appreciation for “Solo” and argue that it deserves more love from the fandom due to several reasons.
10. Alden Ehrenreich Was A Fantastic Young Han Solo
He Owned The Legacy Role
In the year 2018, Alden Ehrenreich was selected to portray a young Han Solo amidst the turbulent era known as the Dark Times. Growing up as a street-smart thief on Corellia, he nurtured an ambition to escape the planet and pursue his dream of flying alongside Qi’ra, his cherished love interest. Ehrenreich truly excelled in this role, giving it a unique personal touch.
It’s worth noting that while Ehrenreich incorporated some signature Han Solo traits from Harrison Ford into the film, they were seamlessly integrated instead of appearing as forced imitations or excessive mimicry.
It seems quite plausible that Solo’s underperformance at the box office may have led Lucasfilm to draw some misguided conclusions. This could partly explain why digital de-aging was used for Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Perhaps, in an effort to avoid the risks associated with casting a younger actor for such an iconic role, as was last seen in Solo, Lucasfilm opted for this approach instead.
9. Donald Glover As Lando Calrissian
No One Could Have Played Lando Better
Donald Glover’s portrayal of Lando Calrissian exceeded even Alden Ehrenreich’s performance and was undeniably Solo’s finest casting choice. Masterfully embodying the legendary, smooth-talking rogue initially played by Billy Dee Williams, it’s as if this young Lando has grown into the same charismatic character we met in the original Star Wars trilogy. Fervently hoping that the long-awaited Lando film will materialize soon.
8. Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra
A Truly Dynamic Star Wars Addition
In the movie Solo, Emilia Clarke’s character Qi’ra added significant richness, particularly through her struggle between her past with Han and the future she attained with Crimson Dawn. Moreover, it was thrilling to observe how Qi’ra foresaw Han’s destiny as a hero and upstanding individual, even when Han himself remained unaware of this at the time.
It’s not surprising that Qi’ra became the central character in a Star Wars comic trilogy in 2021, given she seized control of Crimson Dawn and initiated a significant bounty hunter conflict. This war set off a chain of events aimed at overthrowing Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, occurring between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Impressively, Qi’ra came close to achieving her goal before Crimson Dawn was dismantled; it would be thrilling if she reappeared in future Star Wars storylines.
7. Visiting Corellia For The First Time
Han Solo’s Homeworld
Although Corellia had been mentioned and portrayed numerous times in Star Wars books and comics, it made its screen debut for the first time in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Known primarily as a significant planet for spacecraft manufacturing, the initial part of Solo shows Han Solo and Qi’ra struggling to escape their crime-ridden and corrupt homeland. Later on, Corellia was revisited in 2023’s Ahsoka.
6. Han Solo’s Gradual Evolution From Thief To Legendary Smuggler
Witnessing Several Key Origins
In Solo: A Star Wars Story, there are numerous pivotal scenes for a youthful Han Solo, including the source of his surname and his initial encounter with Chewbacca. These instances are quite intriguing, such as learning the specifics behind Han’s fair-and-square acquisition of the Millennium Falcon from Lando in a game of sabacc, as well as discovering what the ship looked like prior to its transformation into a “hunk of junk”. One scene I particularly enjoy is when Tobias Beckett, played by Woody Harrelson, customizes his blaster at a campfire while conversing with Han, eventually handing him the iconic DL-44 blaster that became synonymous with the smuggler from the original trilogy.
5. L3-37, One Of Star Wars’ Most Iconic Droids
“Follow Me, Compatriots!”
Among the numerous outstanding droids in Star Wars lore, L3-37, brilliantly portrayed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, easily stands out as one of my favorites. Fiercely opinionated and relentless in her pursuit of droid rights, L3 brought a delightful blend of wit and humor to the film Solo. One particular moment that resonated with me was when she managed to survive beyond being shot on Kessel, her brain module eventually becoming an integral part of The Millennium Falcon’s navigation system by the end of Solo. This development provided a compelling explanation for why C-3PO found the ship’s computer so abrupt and with a peculiar dialect in the original trilogy.
4. Explaining The Kessel Run
“Less Than 12 Parsecs…”
To make it clear that parsecs refer to distance rather than time, Solo explained the legendary Kessel Run and why it was an incredible accomplishment to finish it in under 12 parsecs (by rounding down). This became one of the most memorable starship scenes in Star Wars, particularly since Han took control of the Millennium Falcon for the first time. The sequence featured a treacherous whirlpool, chasing Imperial TIE Fighters, and an enormous beast called summa-verminoth. Han Solo’s Kessel Run turned out to be much more thrilling than I could have ever imagined (which explains why he was so proud of it).
3. “Reminiscence Therapy”
Solo’s Incredibly Fun and Nostalgic Score
John Powell, famed for his contributions to blockbuster DreamWorks films such as “How To Train Your Dragon”, “Ice Age”, and “Kung Fu Panda”, among others like “Wicked”, was the composer of Solo’s theme. Although Powell developed fresh themes for the 2018 Star Wars movie, a standout moment in Kessel Run was a delightful mix of John Williams’ scores from “A New Hope” titled “Reminiscence Therapy”. This track is one of my favorites from the Star Wars series, providing a perfect dash of nostalgia as Han Solo and Chewbacca navigated The Millennium Falcon for the first time.
2. Paul Bettany Was A Great Star Wars Villain
Dryden Vos
In the movie Solo, Paul Bettany portrayed an exceptional Star Wars villain as Dryden Vos, the head of the Crimson Dawn crime organization who enlisted Tobias Beckett for a coaxium heist from the Empire. Dryden was a volatile sociopath with a knack for pretending to show concern before issuing deadly threats. Interestingly, when Qi’ra killed Dryden, she chose to remain loyal to Crimson Dawn and ultimately assumed control of the syndicate under the guidance of its hidden leader, making for an intriguing plot twist.
1. The Return of Darth Maul in Live-Action
Bringing Back Everyone’s Favorite Former Sith Lord
The icing on the cake for Solo was undeniably the comeback of Darth Maul in live-action. Hidden as the real mastermind behind Crimson Dawn, Maul reprised his role by Ray Park from The Phantom Menace, but his voice came from Sam Witwer who portrayed him in both The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. At that moment, seeing Maul at the end of Solo sparked a great anticipation for possibly witnessing Maul on the big screen again, perhaps in a future Solo sequel. Nevertheless, the next best thing is coming soon with Darth Maul’s own animated series titled Maul: Shadow Lord, which is set to premiere next year.
| Upcoming Star Wars Movies | Release Date |
|---|---|
| The Mandalorian & Grogu | May 22, 2026 |
| Star Wars: Starfighter | May 28, 2027 |
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2025-05-29 00:19