Star Wars: Woody Harrelson's Family Asked Him Not to Make 'Solo'

We've heard many stories about actors accepting roles to potentially appease their children, but according to Woody Harrelson, his family actually attempted to dismay him from accepting a role in Solo: A Star Wars Story before he eventually accepted it.

"I brought it up to my family — they didn't want me doing it," Harrelson revealed to the Toronto Sun. "They wanted me to come home, and understandably. I did turn it down. Then I did end up doing it. And I'm glad, because the friendships I've formed now [on the movie], I can't imagine not knowing these guys."

Harrelson's family's request was understandable, as these big-budget films can take a lot of time to shoot. In the case of Solo, the shoot ended up being even longer than expected, as Ron Howard took over directorial duties from Phil Lord and Chris Miller, requiring additional weeks of shooting to ensure a cohesive final product.

Lucasfilm made the announcement earlier this summer about the duo leaving the project, without sharing any details about what caused the rift. Shortly after the official announcement, reports began to reveal that the studio wasn't happy with the direction the filmmakers were taking the spin-off film.

Lord and Miller made a name for themselves with their unconventional approaches to comedy, thanks to the successes of films like the 21 Jump Street series and The LEGO Movie. Sources close to the production pointed at their encouragement of the cast to improvise and interject humor into scenes made the film far more comedic than Lucasfilm had hoped, forcing the studio to bring in Ron Howard to create something more in line with their vision.

Fans who had hoped to see that comedy are in luck, as Harrelson confirmed the final product will still be quite funny.

"Wonderful people. Really, really cool people," Harrelson responded about the experience of shooting Solo. "Epic? I can't think of it in those terms, but I do think we've made a really good movie, and it could be a really funny movie, too. And Ron Howard is just a joy."

Fans will be able to enjoy the final product when Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters on May 25, 2018.

[H/T Toronto Sun]