Between the upcoming Christmastime release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and reports concerning possible Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jabba the Hutt spin-offs, Lucasfilm’s ever-expanding universe a Disney shows no signs of stopping. Even the Han Solo standalone film, which recently saw directors Phil Lord and Christopher Lord leave the project in the hands of veteran Ron Howard following creative disputes, is still chugging along. According to a new report at Deadline, however, The Wire star Michael K. Williams will no longer be a part of the film once Howard’s extensive reshoots are complete.
News of Williams’ casting first broke in March, though the details of his role — let alone Lord and Miller’s plot — have been kept under wraps. Per Deadline‘s recent conversation with the Hap and Leonard star, however, it seems his part as a self-described “half-human, half-animal” won’t make the final cut of Howard’s Han Solo film once production wraps up. “I felt great about what I created with the directors that I worked with,” Williams said of his prior experience with Lord and Miller. “It is what it is.” The character was cut from the movie since the actor is in South Africa filming for the spy drama The Red Sea Diving Resort. “There were some reshoot issues that needed to be done in regards to my character, in order for it to match the new direction which the producers wanted Ron to carry the film in.”
Despite the disappointing news, Williams said he “left with a very good taste in my mouth about the whole family.” Lucasfilm and Disney, he added, were a “great group of people” and he wouldn’t mind being a part of the Star Wars universe some other way.
(Via Deadline)
