Ron Howard Reveals Warwick Davis Joined The Han Solo Spin-Off

Despite fans being disappointed that directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who crafted the 21 Jump Street films and The LEGO Movie, departed the Han Solo spin-off film, Lucasfilm found a replacement with Ron Howard, who’s no stranger to the world of fantastical ideas. The director might be more recently known for his dramatic works and adaptations of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code series, but Howard has been directed by George Lucas in American Graffiti and directed 1988’s fantasy adventure Willow for Lucasfilm.

While answering questions from fans on Twitter earlier this afternoon, Howard revealed he’s reunited with Willow‘s star, Warwick Davis, while shooting the Han Solo spin-off.

In addition to this being a reunion between Howard and Davis, the news is exciting as one of Warwick’s first roles was as Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi.

Following his involvement in the Star Wars film, the actor went on to star in the Harry Potter films, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and the Leprechaun films. Davis also made an appearance in The Phantom Menace, but not as Wicket the Ewok.

Clearly Davis won’t be playing another Ewok, but his return to the franchise and reunion with Howard is great news for the actor’s fans.

The untitled Han Solo movie is set to be released May 24, 2018.

More Han Solo News:

• Ron Howard Reveals First Behind-The-Scenes Look At Chewbacca
• Woody Harrelson Confirms Han Solo’s ‘Temporary’ Title
• Han Solo Movie Seems Determined To Keep Its 2018 Release Date

The Han Solo movie is being produced by Lucasfilm from a screenplay by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan and will be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the second standalone Star Wars movie following Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in 2016.

Set prior to the events of Han Solo’s first appearance in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, the film stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Joonas Suotamo. The film is said to show how Han Solo and Chewbacca, first met Lando Calrissian, played by Glover.

Filming on the Han Solo movie began in January 2017 with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller directing. Principal photography began at Pinewood Studios in February. Lord and Miller left the Han Solo movie in June, having reportedly been fired over creative differences. Ron Howard will come on as the director to see the production to completion.