Not Feeling 'So Low' Anymore: Disney CEO Assures Us 'Han Solo' Isn't Doomed

While Darth Vader himself may find "your lack of faith disturbing," directly quoting the Sith Lord certainly seems apt if you have been reading anything about the troubled Han Solo spin-off of late. With a mad scramble to save whatever dignity the film has left, Kathleen Kennedy and co. are trying to rouse a rogue squadron of talent to rescue the production. It's been a rough week for Lucasfilm: After flying solo without directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, Disney also isn't happy with Alden Ehrenreich's performance as the titular lead.

Given that filming on Han Solo was meant to wrap in the next couple of weeks, "meesa has a badda feeling abou dis." However, with #RonHoward now on board in the director's chair, and just before the Millennium Falcon nosedives into the Fuerteventura desert, #Disney CEO Bob Iger has stepped in to relieve fears.

Eye Of The Iger

Basically the Emperor Palpatine of the entire company, Iger says that he isn't worried by the disturbance in the Force currently surrounding Solo. Speaking to TMZ, he laughed off notions that the anthology film is doomed:

“First of all, we have a great cast, we have a great script and we have a great director. It’s gonna be fine. I’m very excited."

He is, of course, referring to Howard, who has ridden in on a Tauntaun to save the day, Solo-style. However, when quizzed on whether Lord and Miller's departure would delay the film's tentative May 25, 2018 release date, Iger was a little more hesitant and refused to say. Basically, this means yes, but he won't confirm until he knows that for a fact.

Although the interviewer reminded Iger that Howard's only real space experience was in Apollo 13, the Disney bigwig assured us, "He's going to be great." While Lord and Miller were reportedly fired for making the movie into too much of a comedy, Howard is sure to take a more serious tone with the galaxy's infamous smuggler. Given that his previous work includes Frost/Nixon and Cinderella Man, he knows how to balance serious with the lighter side of his other works like EdTV and The Grinch. As for sci-fi, Howard isn't just limited to sending Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton into space, let's remember that he also directed 1985's brilliant Cocoon.

Iger is obviously going to try and subdue fears surrounding Han Solo, but all involved will have to do the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs if there is any chance of giving the production "a new hope" of reaching its proposed release date. Thankfully, a veil of secrecy surrounding Han Solo means that we barely have a set picture or plot description to go off, meaning that Howard can literally do what he wants without anyone noticing. With Ehrenreich undergoing acting lessons and the Falcon on a course correction, Howard could still save the day on this one and blow up the Death Star of negative press that Han Solo is currently receiving.

(Source: TMZ)