Following the surprising news that directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller had been fired from the upcoming Han Solo movie spinoff midproduction, Disney has officially announced that Ron Howard will step in to finish the job. The Lego Movie team had seemed like an odd but exciting choice to helm a Star Wars franchise film—and based on reports this week, it turns out they were a little too odd. The Hollywood Reporter described a mismatch of sensibilities between Lord and Miller’s comedic, improvisational style and co-writer Lawrence Kasdan’s “strict adherence to the written word,” among many other problems. (Kasdan also wrote Raiders of the Lost Ark, and it appears Lucasfilm’s president Kathleen Kennedy sided with her longtime collaborator.)
Filming began in February, and as of this changeover there were still a few weeks left to go. Howard will reportedly meet with all of the actors and determine what work lays ahead of him. For now, at least, the movie—which still has no official title—remains scheduled for release on May 25, 2018.
