Friday, July 20, 2018

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Looks To Sept. 25 For Solo: A Star Wars Story


DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph Tribbey
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is out front — and early — with the announcement this past week that director Ron Howard’s Solo: A Star Wars Story will be making its way to the home entertainment arena on Sept. 25.

The ARR is a leisurely 123 days and ticket sales, despite being $211.9 million, were considered unworthy of a Star Wars film.

Planned for release are stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions as well as a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack.

This production-plagued project saw the original directing team of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (who also teamed for 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, The Lego Movie, etc.) fired for deviating from Lawrence Kasdan’s script (who also wrote Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi) and replaced by Ron Howard (whose working relationship with George Lucas dates back to American Graffiti).

Once Ron Howard was onboard, 70 percent of the film was reshot and Alden Ehrenreich (Blue Jasmine, Beautiful Creatures, etc.) was assigned an acting coach to work on his Han Solo presentation.

DVD & Blu-ray Release Report, Ralph TribbeyAt least Walt Disney Studios realized in the aftermath of this disaster that they were pushing the franchise too fast and put future plans for additional one-off stories on hold.   The conclusion of the nine-film cycle envisioned by George Lucas will arrive in theatres during the Christmas season next year with J.J. Abrams directing … actual filming is set to begin shortly.  

As to bonus features, there are eight deleted and/or extended scenes, a roundtable session with filmmaker Ron Howard and members of the cast titled “Solo: The Director and Cast Roundtable” (this appears to be in lieu of a commentary track) and eight production featurettes — “Team Chewie,” “Kasdan on Kasdan,” “Remaking the Millennium Falcon,” “Escape from Corellia,” “The Train Heist,” “Becoming a Droid: L3-37,” “Scoundrels, Droids, Creatures and Cards: Welcome to Fort Ypso” and “Into the Maelstrom: The Kessel Run.”


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