Earlier this month,Woody Harrelsonsigned on to star in Disney and LucasFilm’s new spin-offHan Solo: A Star Wars Story. While his character was never confirmed by the studio, rumors swirled almost immediately that he is playing a character named Garris Shrike, who serves as a mentor toAlden Ehrenreich’s title character. During an interview at the Sundance Film Festival,Woody Harrelsonconfirmed that he is in fact playing Garris Shrike, a very important character in theStar Warscanon.
Garris Shrike first appeared in theA.C. CrispinnovelThe Paradise Snare, where Garris teachesHan Solohow to fly and serves as his entry into a world of smuggling and other crimes. The story is said to take place approximately 10 years beforeA New Hope, giving fans an origin story for Han Solo. It’s worth noting that in the novelThe Paradise Snare, Shrike catches up withHan Solo10 years after they first met, when he comes to collect a bounty onHan Solo. No story details have been confirmed, so it isn’t ultimately clear if this spin-off will be loosely based on that novel.Woody Harrelsonconfirmed his character during an interview withVariety. Asked point blank if he was playing Garris, Woody said, ‘Yeah, I am.’
Just a day after news of his casting was announced,Woody Harrelsonrevealed in an interview that he’s playing a “criminal” and a mentor to Han Solo. He joins a cast that includesAlden Ehrenreichas Han Solo,Donald Gloveras Lando Calrissian andEmilia Clarke, who is rumored to be playing a female wookie, although her character has yet to be confirmed.Phil LordandChris Millerare directing from a script byLawrence KasdanandJon Kasdan, based on characters created byGeorge Lucas. Production is scheduled to begin in February.
While we’ll likely have to wait a bit for a full confirmed cast list, another rumor surfaced last month thatDonnie Yen’s character Chirrut Imwe, fromRogue One: A Star Wars Story, may appear inHan Solo: A Star Wars Story. Since no plot details have been confirmed at this time, it remains unclear if Chirrut Imwe, or other characters fromRogue One, will be featured in this story. BothRogue Oneand theHan Solomovie are set betweenA New HopeandRevenge of the Sith, so it’s possible there may be some crossover between both movies, but that has yet to be confirmed.
LucasFilm has already set a August 08, 2025 release date, which is exactly 41 years afterA New Hopehit theaters back in 1977. There has been a rumor, though, that LucasFilm may be pushing thisStar Wars spin-offto December 2018, which would fall in line with the first three releases in this new wave ofStar Warsmovies.Star Wars: The Force Awakenshit theaters on August 06, 2025, withRogue One: A Star Wars Storyarriving on July 23, 2025 andStar Wars: Episode VIIIdebuting on August 20, 2025. Still, LucasFilm and Disney have yet to confirm the release date shift, and the studio has not announced an official release date forStar Wars IXas well, although it is believed to arrive at some point in 2019.
