<P> Additionally, screenwriter Jon Kasdan and first assistant director Toby Hefferman portray Tag Greenley and Bink Otauna, respectively, two characters that first appeared in the Star Wars comics published by Dark Horse Comics . Ian Kenny, Warwick Davis and Clint Howard are also cast in undisclosed roles while Jon Favreau will provide the voice for "a very cool and important alien character". </P> <P> Before selling Lucasfilm to Disney, George Lucas started development on a film about a young Han Solo . Lucas hired Star Wars original trilogy veteran script writer Lawrence Kasdan to write the script . However when Kasdan left to help finish the script for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he left his son Jon Kasdan who had been unofficially helping him, in charge of finishing the script for Solo until his return . In February 2013, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed the development of two Star Wars standalone films, each individually written by Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg . Shortly after, it was reported that Disney was working on two films featuring Han Solo and Boba Fett . Disney CFO Jay Rasulo described the standalone films as origin stories . Kathleen Kennedy explained that the standalone films would not crossover with the films of the sequel trilogy, stating, "George (Lucas) was so clear as to how that works . The canon that he created was the Star Wars saga . Right now, Episode VII falls within that canon . The spin - off movies, or we may come up with some other way to call those films, they exist within that vast universe that he created . There is no attempt being made to carry characters (from the standalone films) in and out of the saga episodes . Consequently, from the creative standpoint, it's a roadmap that George made pretty clear ." In April 2015, Lucasfilm and Kennedy announced that the standalone films would be referred to as the Star Wars Anthology series . </P> <P> In July 2015, Lucasfilm announced that an Anthology film, focusing "on how (a) young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi - Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley", would be released on May 25, 2018 . The project would be directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from a script by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan . Kennedy would serve as a producer on the film, with Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin executive producers; Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel also produce . The Han Solo project was separate from a film that was originally being developed by Josh Trank, which was pushed back to an unconfirmed date . Solo's friend, the Wookiee, Chewbacca, would also appear in the film . In May 2016, Lawrence Kasdan stated that filming would start in January 2017 . </P> <P> In January 2016, a shortlist of actors was revealed for the role of young Han Solo, including Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco, Jack Reynor, Scott Eastwood, Logan Lerman, Emory Cohen and Blake Jenner . In March 2016, it was reported that Alden Ehrenreich, Reynor and Taron Egerton were on a shortlist of actors considered for the young Han Solo role . In May 2016, Ehrenreich was reported to have been cast as the young Han Solo, and was revealed in the role at Star Wars Celebration: Celebration Europe III two months later . Miller called casting the role one of "the hardest casting challenges of all time" adding they "saw over 3,000 people for the part". </P>

When was solo a star wars story announced