New Stars Wars enters the Cannes galaxy

The young Solo revealed in latest saga by Ron Howard

by Richard Mowe

Alden Ehrenreich takes on Harrison Ford’s mantle in Solo
Alden Ehrenreich takes on Harrison Ford’s mantle in Solo Photo: Disney

The latest instalment in the enduring Star Wars franchise, Solo: A Star Wars Story will be presented Out of Competition in the Official Selection in this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the organisers announced today.

Woody Harrelson and Alden Ehrenreich in Solo
Woody Harrelson and Alden Ehrenreich in Solo Photo: Disney

The Festival has a track record with Stars Wars having presented Attack Of The Clones in 2002 and Revenge Of The Sith in 2005. The new production, directed by Ron Howard, reunites Han Solo, Chewbacca, the crooked Land Calrissian, the Millenium Falcon and the Droids. The adventure revisits the youth of Solo who is played by Alden Ehrenreich and the cast also includes Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo and Paul Bettany.

The screening in the Lumière Theatre at the Palais des Festivals promises to be a media and fan frenzy. Solo, distributed by the Walt Disney Company, will be released in France on 23 May, two days before its release in the United States.

The Cannes Film Festival, runs from Tuesday 8 to Saturday 19 May with the full selection revealed in Paris on Thursday 12 April.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is out on DVD, 3D Blu-ray, UHD and Blu-ray on Monday.

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