Star Wars: Han Solo movie director Ron Howard speaks out on box office trouble

The movie is expected to become the first Star Wars film of the Disney era to make a loss, and it’s also unlikely to match the unadjusted-for-inflation grosses of the original trilogy.

As fans speculate that the backlash around The Last Jedi has contributed to Solo’s woes, Howard has piped up on social media.

“I’m proud of #SoloAStarWarsStory and the cast and crew worked hard to give fans a fun new addition,” he said.

“As a director, I feel badly when people I believe (& exit polls show) will very likely enjoy a movie… don’t see it on a big screen w/great sound.”

The post he was responding to had said: “I’ve been reading so many theories as to why ‘Solo’ hasn’t been doing so well at the box office – sad to say, some SW fans are snubbing Solo b/c they’re still upset over Last Jedi.

“If so, they’re missing out & punishing a good film for something not its fault.”

The Last Jedi, Episode 8 in the main saga, was a huge critical success and also scored big at the box office.

But some corners of the fanbase were unimpressed with director Rian Johnson’s story choices, chiefly those involving Luke Skywalker and elusive antagonist Supreme Leader Snoke.

Solo managed two weeks at the top of the box office charts in both the US and UK, before being replaced by Ocean’s 8 and Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom respectively.

The film stars Alden Ehrenreich as a young Han Solo – the character made iconic by Harrison Ford in the original 1970s/80s trilogy – as well as Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Emilia Clarke, Paul Bettany and Thandie Newton also star.

It’s unknown now what LucasFilm will plan in terms of sequels, given that the door was left open at the end of the movie for a follow-up tale – especially concerning what happens next with Qi’Ra (Clarke).

No further spin-offs have been given concrete announcements, although Johnson is currently at work on his own new trilogy; and JJ Abrams will deliver Episode 9 of the main saga in late 2019.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is out now.