Official: Ron Howard New Han Solo Director

Lucasfilm has officially announced Ron Howard is taking over as director of 2018's standalone Han Solo film. Here is their official statement:

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Lucasfilm is pleased to announce that Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard has been named director of the untitled Han Solo film.

"At Lucasfilm, we believe the highest goal of each film is to delight, carrying forward the spirit of the saga that George Lucas began forty years ago," said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. "With that in mind, we're thrilled to announce that Ron Howard will step in to direct the untitled Han Solo film. We have a wonderful script, an incredible cast and crew, and the absolute commitment to make a great movie. Filming will resume the 10th of July."

Howard has made some of the biggest hits and most critically-acclaimed movies of the modern era. Among his many films are Lucasfilm's Willow, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind (winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director), The Da Vinci Code, Frost/Nixon, and Rush. He also narrated and produced the beloved comedy series Arrested Development, starred in George Lucas' American Graffiti, and remains a TV icon for his roles in The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days.

The untitled Han Solo film is slated for a May 25, 2018, release.

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Howard replaces the previous team of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who were unexpectedly let go from the project earlier this week after several months of filming.

Production officially began on the still-officially untitled film February 20 at Pinewood Studios in London. The film stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, along with Woody Harrelson as Beckett, Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton, Michael K. Williams, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Joonas Suotamod as Chewbacca. 

Originally published on Newsarama.