The following article contains major spoilers for Solo: A Star Wars Story, in theaters now.

Solo: A Star Wars Story did not have an easy flight into theaters.

The film came under intense scrutiny from the moment its existence was confirmed. That’s not a huge surprise, considering how near and dear Han Solo is to Star Wars fans. A testament to his popularity, the character’s legacy extended far beyond that of the mainline film franchise well before Solo was announced. Comics recounted his boisterous run-ins with the Empire’s worst while the Expanded Universe (now Star Wars Legends) made a habit of incorporating the rogue with a heart of gold into every other storyline. But when word came down that a full, Han Solo-focused movie was in the works, fans became understandably suspicious. Thankfully, time has proven those suspicions to be unwarranted.

The trouble began back in April of 2017, when the annual Star Wars Celebration was in full swing. The convention brought news of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, toys and games, but not a peep about Solo, the second most immediate Star Wars film at the time. Hopes were high. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were signed on to the film to direct and had been connected to the project since 2015. After their shared success with The LEGO Movie, fans thought the duo might be able to get Han Solo right. Of course, that was never meant to be.

Lord and Miller were fired by Disney two months after Solo proved to be a no show at Star Wars Celebration. Panic set in, not because Star Wars films have never been beset by behind-the-scenes drama (Rogue One was directed by Gareth Edwards, but filmmaker Tony Gilroy was brought in at the eleventh hour to helm extensive rewrites and reshoots on the film), but because whoever would be jumping into the director’s chair would have less than a year to craft a satisfying film from the ground up. The director of choice ended up being Ron Howard, whose filmography is incredibly solid, but doesn’t exactly scream “Star Wars.”

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Solo hit other snags along the way, too. The first teaser trailer, released in February, did little to excite already wary viewers, many of whom found themselves wondering what exactly the Han Solo movie was looking to accomplish, other than to act as a fitting send off for the character who died in Star Wars: The Force Awakens three years prior. Even that seemed like a farce, though, as Solo didn’t even feature Harrison Ford, who many consider inseparable from the role. Hand-wringing intensified when Disney’s marketing efforts for Solo looked lackluster at best, causing some to speculate that the film was being sent off to die. All these factors coalesced to create an incredibly inhospitable climate for Solo, which went into its opening weekend after the one-two punch of Avengers: Infinity War and Deadpool 2.

Thankfully, the worst fan fears proved to be unfounded. Howard might have been a last minute pick, but the veteran director’s influence can be felt in the overall stability of the film, which seamlessly blends together action and story at a pace that feels expertly measured. There are moments where it feels like Solo could go off the rails, when the movie might become too weird even for a Star Wars film, but Howard knows exactly when to reign back the weird find a quiet, personal moment to focus on, whether that be relationship-building aboard the Millennium Falcon or watching Chewbacca’s quest to free his Wookiee compatriots from Imperial enslavement develop. Lord and Miller’s version of Solo likely would have had its own standout moments had it been completed, but the finished product proves that Howard wasn’t a desperate pick, but rather the right pick.

RELATED: Like Rogue One, Solo Gives Us a Star Wars Film We Haven’t Seen Before

Howard isn’t alone in that regard. While Solo is a movie about the titular Han Solo, character-centric prequel films are always a tough challenge, as they’re forced to depict a beloved character who has yet to develop into the role they’re known for. In this regard, Alden Ehrenreich is not the Han Solo you know, both because he is not Harrison Ford and because his character has not developed into the original trilogy’s Han yet. Luckily, Ehrenreich’s depiction of the smuggler is a likeable one, handily supported by the other members of the cast. Woody Harrelson acts as a grounding force throughout much of the film, taking on the role of boss and mentor to the young, naïve Han with aplomb. Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra brings an unexpected level of depth to the character, who, in any other film, could have easily fallen into the damsel in distress or tough as nails heroine tropes, but the conclusion of her arc reveals something equally tragic and sinister. Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian is, unsurprisingly, a treat.

Solo might not be your Solo, but that’s okay. Regardless of the character name attached to it, Solo is a Star Wars film through and through, from the grounded, dirty locales to the dens of ill repute festering with bizarre space criminals. Sure, you get to see your favorite scoundrel finally complete the infamous Kessel run and win his iconic spaceship from Lando, but you also get an incredibly solid, fun film filled with expertly directed actors and a story that tugs at outer edges of a massive, well-known narrative universe over 40 years in the making. And still, somehow, Solo manages to show you something new, time and time again.

In theaters now, Solo: A Star Wars Story is directed by Ron Howard and stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Woody Harrelson as Tobias Beckett, Emilia Clarke as Qi’ra, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Thandie Newton as Val Beckett, Phoebe Waller-Bridge as L3-37, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca and Paul Bettany as Dryden Vos.