Star Wars: Ron Howard Open to Direct Another Film in the Franchise

After inheriting the directing duties of a movie mid-production and overseeing one of the lowest grossing films in the franchise, Ron Howard's experience in the Star Wars galaxy might seem like a mixed bag.

But despite the poor box office of Solo: A Star Wars Story and the film's intense production, Howard is not opposed to returning to Lucasfilm for another project. The director spoke with Metro about making another Star Wars movie, prompting an open-ended response.

"I had a great experience with that. It would depend entirely on the story," Howard said.

For now, the Star Wars franchise has become a family fair. Actress Bryce Dallas Howard is stepping behind the camera to direct an episode of Jon Favreau's upcoming series The Mandalorian, following in her father's footsteps.

Howard spoke about his daughter's experience in the Star Wars galaxy, excited that he gets to experience it vicariously.

"My daughter Bryce is thrilled. She's been announced to be directing one of the new episodes of the series headed by Jon Favreau," Howard said. "She's having a great experience. So I'm kind of living through it again through her. It's just a creative, inspired group of movie lovers who make those projects."

Solo: A Star Wars Story did not meet the lofty expectations of Lucasfilm and Disney executives, and the budget for the project ballooned after directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord were fired after two months of filming. Howard came in and handled two more months of production shortly after.

The movie only made $392 million worldwide, prompting Howard to respond to the disappointing box office on social media.

"Didn't meet projections but amounts to a new personal best. check #SoloAStarWarsStory for balanced feedback & then C it on a big screen!" Howard wrote on Twitter.

There was a perception that Lucasfilm was scrapping their plans for sequels after Solo's performance, but Howard disputed that notion while speaking with TMZ.

"Everyone at Lucasfilm and Disney really cares about the fans," Howard noted. "I think it's an ongoing process of discovering what it can be, and what it can all add up to. So it's a process, and I like the fact, personally, that they take some chances, take some risks, and see how people respond to it."

Solo: A Star Wars Story is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD. There's no word yet when The Mandalorian will premiere on Disney's new streaming service.