‘Star Wars Han Solo’ Spin-Off: Woody Harrelson Provides Update

The secrecy surrounding the upcoming batch of new Star Wars films is unprecedented, none more so than for the spin-off and prequel for Han Solo. So much so that we don’t yet have a title for the hugely anticipated blockbuster, which will see Alden Ehrenreich take on the leading role, as he steps into the shoes of Harrison Ford.

But even though those involved aren’t likely to reveal any details regarding the production or what the film entails, that hasn’t stopped them from repeatedly being asked about it. This most recently happened to Woody Harrelson, whose role in the film was confirmed at the start of the year just before shooting had begun.

The legendary American actor, who at this point is widely acknowledged as a national treasure, still managed to open up a little, tiny bit about his role in Han Solo, though, while at the same time declaring that the “secrecy” surrounding this films is just at another echelon.

“I am totally psyched to be making a Star Wars film. But the secrecy is on another level. What I can say he’s a good character, he is a mentor to Han and a criminal, but good at heart.”

Woody Harrelson’s comments to the London Evening Standard obviously don’t reveal too much, and it’s still hard to tell whether or not the Cheers and War For The Planet Of The Apes actor might be playing one of the villains in the film, something that has previously been heavily alleged.

When Harrelson’s participation in Han Solo was originally announced, it was speculated that he’d actually be portraying Garris Shrike, who debuted in the 1997 Star Wars novella The Paradise Snare. Garris Shrike is a hugely important character in the world of Star Wars, as he was the bounty-hunter-turned-criminal that raised Han Solo, and also helped to turn him into the smuggler that we then see in A New Hope. But while Garris Shrike played a huge part in the formative years of Han Solo, their relationship ultimately took a turn for the worse and it ended in a very violent way.

During his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon back in March to promote his role in Wilson, Woody Harrelson again remained rather tight-lipped about his work on Star Wars, but he did reveal that his character wasn’t actually named Garris Shrike.

“I play a guy named Beckett, who’s kind of a criminal and a mentor to Han. That’s all I can say.”

While they might not share the same name, there’s every chance that Woody Harrelson’s character of Beckett has still been heavily inspired by Garris Shrike, though. If it is, there’s every chance that it could follow the same trajectory as the relationship between Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and Yondu (Michael Rooker) in both Guardians Of The Galaxy and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, as Yondu acts as both a mentor and a surrogate father to Peter Quill. Obviously, at this point, it’s still way too early to know, but the amount of speculation over Woody Harrelson’s role in Han Solo proves just how popular and excited fans are for the film.

We’ve still got a couple more months for this excitement to grow, too, because the untitled Han Solo film isn’t due to be released into cinemas until May 25, 2018. As well as Woody Harrelson’s Beckett and Alden Ehrenreich’s Han Solo, the film will also include Donald Glover as a younger version of Billy Dee Williams’ Lando Calrissian, while its rather superb cast is rounded off by Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton, Michael K. Williams, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Joonas Suotamo.

[Featured Image by Lucasfilm]