‘Star Wars’: Disney CEO Discusses Involvement With Han Solo Death

When 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens hit theaters, it marked the first release of a Star Wars film produced under Disney. While Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm was initially a cause for concern amongst some fans, reaction to the film ultimately proved overwhelmingly positive. The Force Awakens saw the return of many beloved elements of the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as introducing a whole new range of worlds and characters. The film’s biggest shock, however, came when fan favourite classic character, Han Solo, was killed by his own son, the villainous Kylo Ren.

The decision to make such a bold move with a central character in the Star Wars canon apparently extended beyond Lucasfilm, going to the very top of new parent company, Disney. In an interview with Variety, Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that he was involved in discussions about killing off Han Solo:

“We had a big debate about Han Solo. Should he die or not? It was a decision made by Kennedy and Abrams, but I got involved.”

The weight of this decision was obviously not lost on anyone involved. While, as Iger points out, it was ultimately the call of Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, the fact that Iger was involved at all indicates just how monumental both Disney and Lucasfilm must have felt the death of a classic Star Wars character would be.

As well as expressing his enjoyment of working with Kennedy, Iger reportedly also admitted to having a draft of Star Wars: Episode IX on his desk. It sounds like Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm has left Star Wars in good hands, with people who clearly care about the iconic saga.

Were you shocked by Han Solo’s death? Do you think Iger, Kennedy and Abrams made the right call in killing him off? Let us know in the comments below!

The next instalment in the Star Wars saga will be this year’s The Last Jedi.

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, the film stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Benicio del Toro, Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi arrives on December 15, 2017.

Source: Variety (via Polygon)