This ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ Moment Is What Sold Disney on the Project

The Han Solo spinoff movie wasn’t always a “sure thing” for Lucasfilm. In fact, it’s fate was sealed during a pitch meeting for the movie with Disney’s top brass.

Solo: A Star Wars Story co-writer Jon Kasdan revealed that his father Lawrence Kasdan pitched the film to Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn and Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger.

Warning: Spoilers for Solo: A Star Wars Story below.

“Five years ago, when I came onto the thing — and Disney wasn’t on when I came on, then three weeks later, they owned the company —and they came up to Marin [California] and Kathy [Kennedy] got the people who were already working on it to make a five-minute presentation to Bob Iger and Alan Horn and everyone,” Lawrence told Cinema Blend.

Jon told ComicBook.com during a media event that his father and co-writer came up with this particular moment, being one of his favorite scenes in the film.

“I think that one of the things Larry said is that there was going to be a moment where a young Han was sort of presented with no family,” Jon said. “He was escaping his planet, and he would be confronted with someone who would ask him his name, and he would not have a last name to offer. And that person would just quickly write down something that defined him for the rest of his life, and say ‘Solo,’ and he’d be moved on like another cattle in the thing. And that was there from the very beginning.

“I think Bob Iger heard that and was like, ‘Yeah, okay. We can spend some money.’”

Learning how Han received his name is but one of many iconic moments viewers are subjected to in the film. The movie reveals how Han obtained his iconic blaster AND the Millennium Falcon, and also shows his first meetings with Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian.

Of course, some fans have wondered if that scene was necessary, while others have been vocal about the necessity of a Han Solo movie at all.

The film just came off its first weekend at the box office, receiving a disappointing haul of $103 million domestically. It is also benefitting from strong word of mouth, but it remains to be seen if that will translate to more ticket sales.

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

What did you think of the latest Star Wars spinoff? Be sure to let us know in the comments.