Any true Star Wars fan can say that the original trilogy holds a special place in all our hearts. These characters and their storylines really do mean a lot to us. Some had the experience of going to A New Hope on opening day (when no one knew what to expect), while others (like myself) experienced it on VHS. Either way, Stars Wars love is Star Wars love. It will forever be there. So when Harrison Ford steps back onto the Millennium Falcon to shoot The Force Awakens, it’s a big deal.
Here’s what Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said about the moment, via Entertainment Weekly:
“The minute Harrison and Chewie walked on board the Millennium Falcon — that was incredible. “Every single person on the set was stunned. I remember turning around, and there must have been 200 people gathered behind me — completely quiet. I didn’t even know they were there. The whole crew had stopped working, staring at the monitor, because it was so iconic.”
And The Empire Strikes Back & The Force Awakens co-screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan also had a touching moment to share as well:
“It was sort of surreal for everybody, and it wasn’t just Han, it wasn’t just Harrison. It was seeing all this stuff. TheMillennium Falcon has been a big part of my life, from Empire to Jedi to Force Awakens — and now I’ve written a movie about the young Han. So the Falcon has enormous resonance for me. And I don’t know if you can imagine what it would be like to watch things being shot on that set with those people.”
These are the kinds of moments that fans of the franchise love to hear about. The camaraderie we see on set (Ford leading the pack) translates down the line to us, as viewers. There are people out there who think that’s beyond nerdy. And guess what, those people can kindly step aside and let us bask in the starry-eyed glory that is a universe full of mystery and suspense.
Ford has also reportedly become a much different kind of actor. He used to have a hard edge that made him clash with some on set. Now, he’s a leader, a mentor and a friend to many of the young actors in Abrams’ new entry:
“And then, you know, Harrison — and I’ve always found this over the years with the Indiana Jones films we’ve all done together — he’s incredibly collaborative when it comes to story and developing his character, and really engaged in the process. And he was every bit that on this film.” -Kathleen Kennedy
We’re all excited to see what Ford’s going to do on-screen with this new Star Wars entry. But we know one thing is for sure: Han Solo is going to kick some serious ass and we. are. ready.
(Via EW)
