Star Wars director reveals Han Solo WILL have a ‘major part’ in The Last Jedi despite the character’s death – as they reveal new artwork of Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia
HAN Solo is set to play a major role as a “figurative ghost” in the new Star Wars movie after being killed in 2015's The Force Awakens.
Death won't stop Harrison Ford's space pirate influencing the events of the 2017 release, according to the director Rian Johnson.
The beloved character, who was killed by his own son Ben Solo - aka Kylo Ren - in The Force Awakens, will be key to Rey's journey onwards as she meets Luke Skywalker.
Talking to , Johnson began by saying: "Han, the ghost of — well, not literally.
“I don’t want to misguide. I have to be very careful with my words here.
"But a figurative ghost of Han had to be present throughout this entire film.”
Explaining further, the filmmaker added: "Kylo has definitely been knocked off base.
"The defeat that he had at the end of The Force Awakens, but even bigger than that, his huge defining act which, spoiler alert, is the murder of his father... that's the more interesting thing to dive into."
Meanwhile actress Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, said of her character: "She has grief for the loss [of Han Solo] and then there’s anger".
She added: "To be honest, she couldn’t understand doing something like that – let alone to your parents.”
But fans of the franchise should rest assured that Han's best friend Chewbacca will cope alright on his own.
Johnson commented: “Chewie’s doing all right. It’s tough.
"It was obviously a big loss for him, but, you know, he’s Chewie. He’s resilient,” the writer/director said.
“He’s got broad Wookiee shoulders, and he also has a new mission. He’s got Rey, and she’s someone that Han, to a certain extent, handed the keys to. So I think that that helps.”
The news about Han Solo's "figurative ghost" comes after a striking image of the late Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia was published by Vanity Fair.
Her character will make her last movie appearance in The Last Jedi, as Disney has confirmed they won't use digital manipulation to put her into the following film.
The Last Jedi star John Boyega has revealed: "This movie, it sends [Leia] off in an amazing, amazing way.
"And she is still kept alive in this franchise. That’s the beauty of it: She lives forever in a sense.”
Shortly before her death at the age of 60 last Christmas, Carrie revealed she had enjoyed a fling with Harrison, now 75, during the filming of the original Star Wars series.
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