At a Glance
- Kathleen Kennedy calls Solo: A Star Wars Story her single Lucasfilm regret
- She admits the concept was flawed: “you cannot replace Han Solo”
- Alden Ehrenreich was “put in an impossible situation,” she says
- Why it matters: The admission caps her tenure before Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan take over
Kathleen Kennedy has overseen every Star Wars film and series since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012. In a candid exit interview with Deadline, she acknowledged that not every choice pleased every fan, yet she stands behind every project-except one. The standalone origin tale Solo: A Star Wars Story is the lone entry she wishes she could undo.
The One Regret: Solo
“No, I don’t really have any regrets. Well, maybe a bit of regret about Solo: A Star Wars Story,” Kennedy told News Of Fort Worth. She brought legendary co-writer Larry Kasdan aboard, convinced they had cracked the code for expanding the galaxy’s most beloved scoundrel. Once cameras rolled, the reality set in.
“We were so excited about that idea,” she said. “And then when you’re into something, and you realize fundamentally, conceptually, you cannot replace Han Solo, at least right now.”
Alden Ehrenreich inherited the role made iconic by Harrison Ford. Kennedy praised the actor-“he really was good, and is a wonderful actor”-but concluded the production “put him in an impossible situation.” The film was already shooting when that realization hit, leaving no exit ramp.
Production Turmoil Behind the Scenes
Kennedy’s regret centers on the concept, not the craft. She draws a sharp line: “I don’t have regrets about that. I just think that conceptually, we did it too soon.”
That distinction carries extra weight. Original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were fired mid-shoot in June 2017 over creative differences. Ron Howard stepped in, reshot large portions, and delivered the finished movie. By stating she has “no regrets” about the filmmaking itself, Kennedy signals she stands by the controversial decision to change directors.
Why Solo Stung
Kennedy argues that some characters are too tightly bound to a single performer. Han Solo, like Indiana Jones, falls into that category. Recasting him while Ford remains active in pop culture proved a hurdle the film never cleared.
The movie opened on May 25, 2018, and earned $393 million worldwide-modest by Star Wars standards-while carrying an estimated production budget north of $275 million after the director swap. Critics praised the cast yet echoed Kennedy’s point: the film felt unnecessary because the original Han still loomed large.
Passing the Torch
The interview arrives as Kennedy prepares to hand leadership to longtime collaborators Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan. She departs after a tenure that stretched across three trilogies, multiple streaming series, and the expansion of Star Wars into Disney+ territory.
Despite the Solo misstep, Kennedy emphasized pride in the broader slate. She green-lit projects that diversified the saga-The Force Awakens, Rogue One, The Last Jedi, The Mandalorian, Andor-and weathered the backlash that comes with any new entry in the decades-old franchise.
Key Takeaways
- Kennedy’s regret is conceptual, not creative; she supports the final film’s quality
- The recasting of Harrison Ford’s Han Solo is the root of her second-guessing
- Alden Ehrenreich’s performance earned praise, yet the premise was “impossible”
- Her comments quietly reaffirm the decision to replace Lord and Miller with Howard
