Following the news that Solo: A Star Wars Story has completed principal photography and in in post-production, many are asking just how much of Phil Lord and Chris Miller‘s original film was reshot by Ron Howard. Rumours have surfaced claiming that at least 80% of the spin-off film was reshot for possibly twice the budget.

A recent episode of Star Wars News Net‘s The Resistance Broadcast claims that their inside sources are saying that Ron Howard reshot “nearly all” of Solo, for possibly “twice the budget.” It claims that an estimated 80% or more of the spin-off was reshot by Howard.

Let’s look at a few facts…

• Filming began on the Han Solo spin-off film on January 30, 2017.
• On June 20, 2017, Lucasfilm, Lord and Miller jointly announced their decision to part ways.
• It was later revealed by insiders that they were fired over creative differences, reportedly much of which was Lucasfilm’s aversion to improvised scenes.
• Consequently, Lord and Miller shot for just over 4 months.
• When Lord and Miller exited the project, it was announced that Ron Howard was hired to work on the remaining 3½ weeks of scheduled principal photography as well as a now-scheduled 5 weeks of reshoots.
• Howard posted a photo from his first day on set, which was June 29, 2017.
• He announced production wrap on October 18, 2017.
• Howard was filming for about 4 months, roughly the same time that Lord and Miller were on the film. Four months is about the same time it took to film Thor: Ragnarok.

Naturally, we don’t know if the film decreased or increased production during this time. For example, Rogue One was said to be filming 6 day weeks during their reshoots. We do know that Solo had some issues aligning with actors schedules, recasting Michael K Williams‘ CG alien character with Paul Bettany as a human, so it’s possible that production had to work around the schedules of the actors who were not prepared for extensive reshoots. Regardless, it’s safe to say that 4 months of additional filming is not a minor reshoot, it’s significant.

However, Thandie Newton has now spoken to Entertainment Weekly about her time on the film. In essence, she’s pretty optimistic and she assures that for her scenes at least, most of her work was with Lord and Miller and not Howard.

“Apart from the initial shock and feeling bad for [Lord and Miller] not being able to finish their work, their work is everywhere in it. Ninety percent of my stuff is with them. And it certainly wasn’t about, ‘Oh we have to start again and do it all over.’”

We know Newton was involved in some of the additional photography under Howard thanks to a behind-the-scenes snap, but it’s nice to know at least some of Lord and Miller’s work remains – assuming they’re not left on the cutting room floor.

Newton went on to praise both Lord and Miller as well as Howard and voice her enthusiasm for the finished film:

“Obviously, it was a surprise. I love Phil and Chris — everybody loves Phil and Chris — they’re so brilliant. Ron and the guys were talking to each other. As far as I’m concerned what’s on screen, in the end, is going to be an amazing collaboration. It’s a massive piece. We see so often now there are two directors working on pictures. We already had two with Phil and Chris. Now there’s three. With a project like that where it’s a vision that’s been created over so many years, that’s so expansive, I think it’s less about things going wrong than getting more help to bring it into the best position it can be in. I really like Ron though, he’s very sweet. And [the film is] dope; it’s so cool! And it’s such a great cast with Phoebe [Waller-Bridge], [Alden] Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Woody [Harrelson] and, of course, you know the wonderful Game of Thrones angel, Emilia [Clarke].”

Solo: A Star Wars Story is currently still on track for release on May 25, 2018.

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