Solo: A Star Wars Story - Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Lucasfilm Ltd – Walt Disney Studios - Motion Pictures – Director Ron Howard – Writer Jonathan Kasdan & Lawrence Kasdan - Producers – Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur & Simon Emanuel Solo: A Star Wars Story, or simply Solo, is a 2018 American space Western film about Han Solo, a character from the Star Wars franchise. The film is directed by Ron Howard and produced by Lucasfilm, from a screenplay by Jonathan and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the second of the Star Wars anthology films, following 2016's Rogue One. A stand-alone installment set prior to the events of A New Hope, it explores the adventures of a young Han Solo and Chewbacca, including meeting Lando Calrissian. The film stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, alongside Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, and Paul Bettany. Principal photography began in January 2017 at Pinewood Studios, under the direction of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The pair left the project in June 2017 after reportedly being fired over "creative differences" with Lucasfilm, and Howard took over directing duties. The film had its world premiere in Los Angeles on May 10, 2018, and also screened on May 15 at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, before its United States release date of May 25, 2018, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures in RealD 3D and IMAX 3D. It received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the cast (particularly Ehrenreich, Glover, and Waller-Bridge), visuals and action scenes, although many criticized the pacing and noted the film added "nothing new" to the Star Wars franchise.