LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Lucasfilm brought the biggest party in the galaxy to Hollywood on Thursday as hundreds of fans gathered under the Millennium Falcon for the world premiere of the latest “Star Wars” spin-off.
“Solo: A Star Wars Story,” which gets its US release on May 25, tells the coming-of-age story of smuggler Han Solo before he was the galaxy’s most iconic and adored scoundrel.
The glittering array of stars in Hollywood Boulevard included cast members Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton and Paul Bettany.
“I just approached it as another adventure happening at a different time in Chewbacca’s life,” said Joonas Suotamo, the six foot 10 inch (2.08-meter) Finnish basketballer who took over the part from Peter Mayhew, starting with “The Force Awakens” (2015).
“It was interesting to approach this time when Chewbacca doesn’t know Han, he doesn’t know all these people, he’s in a really bad spot and he’s looking for a way out.”
The Lucasfilm grandees in attendance included “Solo” director Ron Howard, studio chief Kathleen Kennedy and long-time “Star Wars” writer Lawrence Kasdan and composer John Williams.
But that was just the tip of the iceberg as Hollywood’s A-list — “Star Wars” alumni or otherwise — turned out for the second in the “anthology” series of spin-off films that started in 2016 with “Rogue One.”
Among them was Mark Hamill, Ewan McGregor, Sofia Vergara, Alexandra Daddario, Benjamin Bratt and Johnny Knoxville.
The Disney-owned Lucasfilm delighted fans in April with a sneak peak of the first meeting between Alden Ehrenreich’s young Solo and Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian.
Scenes from the movie showed the pair’s encounter in a sleazy dive bar on a snowbound world, watched by a colorful menagerie of new alien characters.
There was also a glimpse of what looked like the pivotal moment in “Star Wars” lore when Han beats Lando in a card game to win the Millennium Falcon starship, a full-size version of which was constructed for the premiere.
© Agence France-Presse