Before Star Wars creator George Lucas helped direct a scene for Ron Howard's Solo: A Star Wars Story, he was actually working on his own solo film starring the fan-favorite smuggler. According to Solo screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, Lucas' Han Solo movie was in development prior to Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kasdan -- one of the longtime creative forces behind the galaxy far, far away -- confirmed that he'd already signed on to pen a Han Solo movie before the property changed hands. He also recalled how production on Star Wars: The Force Awakens eventually consumed his time, leading him to convince Lucasfilm to bring his son Jon on board for Solo.

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“When I was done, I was sort of burned out. And I said, ‘I don’t know, do we still want to do this Han thing?’” Kasdan explained. “And they said, ‘Yeah! We really want you to go ahead with Han.’ And I said, ‘Well, my son, Jon, is very enthusiastic and full of ideas about the saga.’ And he had directed two movies and had done other things. ‘What if he came on and worked with me? Because, that would give me a shot in the arm.’ And so, that’s exactly what happened. They made a deal with Jon, and he and I have been writing since for three years.”

Based on a script by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan, Solo: A Star Wars Story stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Michael K. Williams and Woody Harrelson. The film arrives May 25, 2018.

via The Playlist