Loophole Could Result In Original Han Solo Directors’ Cut

The latest Lucasfilm production has had a whirlwind of a week with the departure of directors of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from the Han Solo spinoff movie, with the reins being passed over to Ron Howard.

But with the directing duo’s dismissal coming so late into the production, they could be able to exercise a little known loophole in the rules established by the Directors Guild of America.

The union that protects directors rights on film productions states that “a director who is replaced after directing ninety percent (90 percent) but less than one hundred percent (100 percent) of the scheduled principal photography of any motion picture shall be the Director of the film entitled to all the post-production creative rights set forth.”

So it basically means that if the movie is already 90% finished, Lord and Miller will be able to complete a Directors’ Cut.

“No one shall be allowed to interfere with the director of the film during the period of the Director’s Cut. There shall be no ‘cutting behind’ the Director as that term is commonly understood in the motion picture industry.”

However even if such a cut is completed, Disney and Lucasfilm would be under no obligation to make it available to moviegoers. But at least it will have been made.

UP NEXT: Jar Jar Binks Makes Incognito Plea For Role In Han Solo

It remains to be seen how all of this will shake out, especially with the expectation that the film will undergo significant reboot. Some industry folks are even questioning the production’s ability to meet the original release date.

Either way, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has some confidence in the person she chose to take over the movie — especially given all of those Academy Awards Howard has one over the years. We’re just hoping the movie turns out to be as entertaining as Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Han Solo will hit theaters on May 25, 2018.

MORE HAN SOLO NEWS:Han Solo Director Ron Howard Reveals His Initial Thoughts After Seeing ‘Star Wars’ / Former Han Solo Directors Reportedly Rifted Over Film’s Comedic Nature / Check Out Donald Glover’s Lando Mustache For The Han Solo Movie

The Han Solo spinoff is filming now under director Ron Howard for a May 25, 2018 release. Alden Ehrenreich stars as a young Han Solo and Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca in the era before Star Wars: A New Hope, before they met Leia and Luke and embarked on a galaxy-saving adventure. Donald Glover also stars as Lando Calrissian, with Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Emilia Clarke in as-yet-unrevealed co-starring roles.

[h/t] The Wrap