In a little over a month, the origin story (of sorts) of one of a far, far-away galaxy's most infamous smugglers will hit theaters around the world. Solo: A Star Wars Story seeks to tell the tale of one Han Solo, with Alden Ehrenreich stepping in as a more youthful version of the talented pilot made famous by Harrison Ford. And while Solo acts as not only the title character but also the anchor of the anthology film, it's really Han's relationships that he forms over the course of his life that make him a well-rounded and interesting figure. We'll get a glimpse of young Solo's rougher edges when the movie opens on May 25th.

In new interviews with the cast and crew of Solo: A Star Wars Story, both EW and Empire (via CBM) have insightful quotes as to the nature of Ron Howard's film, Han's story, and the infamous smuggler's relationships with the characters around him. Don't worry, Donald Glover gets to weigh in on Lando Calrissian's fashion sense, just as screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan gets to chime in on his take on the Han and Chewie partnership. Plus, a pair of new images from the film can be seen below, courtesy of EW.

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Image via Lucasfilm

By way of a refresher, Solo: A Star Wars Story is set about a decade before Han meets Luke in Mos Eisley. At this time, he's making some poor decisions, like trying to join the Empire and washing out of the Imperial Flight Academy. Now a fugitive from authorities, along with Emilia Clarke's curious Qi'ra, Han is out to prove his worth in the criminal underworld and does so in a signature selfish fashion. Han's journey in this film, as Howard described:

“It really is a rite of passage. The story sends him on an unexpected journey that hurtles him into a dangerous world surrounded by charismatic but lawless characters. And that’s where he needs to try to make his way and gain his freedom. So, so much of this is about trying to satisfy that yearning to really be free, to really call his own shots in a very lawless part of the galaxy and at a time when it was wide-open.

 

"He's a brash, cocky, young guy. And the whole movie is about struggling for freedom, struggling to throw off an institutionalized kind of oppression. It has a young rebellious energy around it."

That young, rebellious energy will be channeled in part by Ehrenreich, who almost passed on the project altogether:

"I took a little time to really make sure that it was what I wanted to do. As enthusiastic and excited as I was from the outset, I wanted to make sure that it was really my choice and not something I was just doing because anyone would be crazy not to do it. There's a lot of self-depreciating humour. There's a dynamism to it, rhythm and fun."

He also met with Ford, a fact that was confirmed by some particularly tenacious paparazzi. Here's all Ehrenreich will say, for now, about that meeting of the minds:

"He said, 'If they ask, tell them I told you everything you need to know and that you can't tell anyone anything.'"

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Image via Disney, Lucasfilm

But since Solo is about more than just Han, the cast and crew also chimed in on perhaps the smuggler's most famous relationship: His friendship with Chewie. Howard wanted to put as much of that dynamic into the script as he could:

“If anything I put more in. I could see that Joonas [Suotamo] was bringing so much to the character in really fun and funny ways. We meet Chewbacca at a difficult period in his life. And he's in a bit of trouble."

Kasdan revealed his own take on the relationship:

"It's a love story. Obviously, they don't automatically trust each other and become friends. But that's all the meat of a good story."

And Ehrenreich chimed in, though his response was more about Suotamo's performance:

“Joonas is a really funny guy, and he also brings a lot to the role. It’s clear when you’re up close and seeing him do it just how much Wookiee craft he really has to do, knowing how to move in the suit to convey the right things.”

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Image via Disney, Lucasfilm

But, of course, there's also the contentious relationship between Han and Lando. Ehrenreich said:

“Their relationship is many different things, as it is when you see them in the original films. I think they have very different styles.”

Glover's perspective had less to do with how Lando sees Han, and more to do with the flashy businessman's own style:

“Lando’s always the best-dressed person on that set. And I don’t say that lightly. There’s a lot of cool costumes and a lot of cool clothing. He takes pride in the clothing. It makes things easier. When people see you and you’re debonair, they tend to want to give you stuff easier.”

For more on Solo: A Star Wars Story, click on through these recent write-ups:

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