'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Makes Major Change to Opening Scroll

When it comes to the Star Wars saga, Lucasfilm has set up fans to expect certain traditions from every film. The John Williams score, fancy editing wipes to cut from scene to scene, and of course the opening crawl.

But the spinoff movies don't seem bound to those common motifs, and Solo: A Star Wars Story makes a significant change to the opening text at the beginning of the film.

Warning: Minor spoilers for Solo: A Star Wars Story below.

At the beginning of every Star Wars movie, including Rogue One, blue text fades over a black screen to set the tone, presenting a familiar phrase that every fan knows by heart: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…"

And instead of cutting straight to the action as Rogue One did, or providing the infamous scroll that accompanies every entry in the saga, Solo instead continues with the blue text motif and provides information about the state of the galaxy.

"It is a lawless time. CRIME SYNDICATES compete for resources — food, medicine, and HYPERFUEL."

The text then goes on to hint at the journey audiences about to undertake, following the young Han Solo as he attempts to make a name for himself. He lives on the planet Corellia, pulling crimes for a local gangster known as Lady Proxima.

"A young man fights for survival but longs to fly among the stars."

The tone of the text feels like it belongs on the opening crawl, backed by the familiar sounds of John Williams' composition, but it is instead using the familiar to do something different — which, at its core, is what Solo is all about.

In the review, it's written that Solo dwells firmly in the Star Wars universe while striving to be something different. Being able to twist that opening crawl into something that will surprise fans while also being familiar is a clever way to introduce them to the overall adventure.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is now playing in theaters.