Ford drops ‘Star Wars’ spin-off

Actor’s ‘The Force Awakens’ to hit cinemas later this month

LOS ANGELES: Harrison Ford reprises the role of Han Solo in the next Star Wars film but said he will not be involved in the character’s own standalone movie.

The Walt Disney Co said in July the hero would get his own film, set for release in May 2018. Asked about who he thought should be cast, Ford said, “I don’t think it’s about being like me, it’s about us being like Han Solo.”

He added, “So I’m sure whoever is responsible for that film, and I’m not, will think through the issues and problems of doing such a thing. Let’s make them responsible for those questions you might think to ask me because I’m not involved.”



Disney said the standalone would look at how Han Solo became the smuggler Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first meet in the 1977 original Star Wars film. The upcoming The Force Awakens, the first Star Wars film instalment in 10 years, has been kept under wraps barring some broad character outlines.

Ford said he is pleased to see the skill with which the story has been rendered. “I think it all came together very well.” The movie will premiere in Los Angeles on Monday and hit cinemas soon after in one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

When asked how the upcoming release is compared to the one in 1977, Ford noted, “I don’t really worry about it anymore. I didn’t worry about it then because I felt like it had very little to do with me. I don’t worry about it now because it’s just going to be whatever it is.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th,  2015.

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