Following the success of the first “Star Wars” spinoff movie “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” which was released in global theaters last month, the next one for the series is going to be “Star Wars: Episode 8” set for release this coming December to be followed by another spinoff movie featuring the origin story of Han Solo due to hit cinemas in May next year.
Latest reports have it that veteran actor Woody Harrelson has been confirmed for the next spinoff movie where he shall be playing a mentor to the young Han Solo, the iconic character played in the film series by equally iconic actor Harrison Ford.
It was actually Harrelson who confirmed that he is joining the “Star Wars” franchise during an interview early this month at the Sundance Film Festival.
Prior to his selection for the role, the “Now You See Me” actor was reported to be the top choice to play the mentor to Alden Ehrenreich’s young Han Solo character.
At that time, however, talks were still in early stages. Harrelson was at the Sundance Film Festival to promote his new movie “Wilson,” which also stars Laura Dern, details Variety.
Just like “Rogue One,” which just become the newest member of the US$1 billion elite movie club, the currently untitled Han Solo spinoff will be set prior to “Star Wars: A New Hope.”
Donald Glover and Emilia Clarke also star, and Phil Lord and Chris Miller are set to direct. Harrelson already had close ties to one of the film’s producers, Allison Shearmur.
The two worked together on “The Hunger Games” films, in which Harrelson also played a mentor to another young hero, Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen.
The “Star Wars” Han Solo spinoff is set to hit theaters on May 25, 2018.
Playing Garris Shrike
It has also been confirmed that Woody Harrelson shall be playing the role of Garris Shrike in the second “Star Wars” story
During the interview at the Sundance Film Festival, it seems as if Harrelson was confused by the question and may have just been answering if he will be playing Han Solo’s mentor.
So one interviewer suggested that Harrelson was not responding to the question about his character’s name, but instead just confirming what everyone already knew that he would be playing Han Solo’s mentor in the new film.
The actor has previously said that he is going to be a mentor to Han Solo, but he is also a bit of a criminal. He added that he does not think he should say much more than that because the Force is not allowing him to, reports Slash Film.
Based on the initial information on Harrelson’s character, Garris Shrike was essentially Han Solo’s entry point into a world of crime.
A bounty hunter-turned smuggler
Shrike first appeared in A.C. Crispin’s novel entitled “The Paradise Snare.” He was a bounty hunter who turned into a smuggler who also raised the orphaned Han Solo as part of a group fo children he used in confidence tricks and thefts based aboard the decommissioned troopship, “Trader’s Luck,” in orbit over Corellia.
The character rescued the young Han Solo from the streets, raised him, trained him, and beat him profusely when aggravated.
The Han Solo spinoff movie will take place nearly a decade before the events of “A New Hope,” which fits the timeline of the novel.
In the book, Solo had a confrontation with Shrike and fled the criminal’s ship. Shrike tracked Solo down years later after the massive bounty on the smuggler. If the film sticks to the Legends storyline, Harrelson will not only be a mentor for Solo but an antagonist as well.