For millions of movie-goers across the world, Harrison Ford is Han Solo. Yes, Indiana Jones was Ford’s own franchise the he headlined himself and Blade Runner may be the single greatest sci-fi film of all time. But none of that matters. Despite not being the main character of the Star Wars series, Han Solo resonated with fans in a way few other film creations ever have. He was more realistic than the kindhearted Luke Skywalker and had a greater sense of flare that played well on the big screen. That’s why it was so heartbreaking to hear Ford repeatedly bash the character over the years.
It’s no secret that Harrison Ford harbored some strong opinions about George Lucas as a filmmaker during the original trilogy or that he wanted to see Solo killed off in Return of the Jedi. But like the lovable scoundrel he portrayed on screen, Ford has come around in the intervening years. He told Entertainment Weekly recently that he was “glad that the character was still alive for me to play in this new iteration.”
Harrison Ford seems intent on revisiting his greatest hits with The Force Awakens right around the corner and a sequel to Blade Runner in the pipeline. Could he also don the iconic fedora once again in the near future?
“Oh, yeah, I’d love to do another Indiana Jones. A character that has a history and a potential, kind of a rollicking good movie ride for the audience, Steven Spielberg as a director — what’s not to like?”
Though Harrison Ford may hold a soft spot for Indy, even he admits that he shares some similarities with the gruff yet lovable Solo.
“He was always the cynical member of the original characters. While we were invited to engage on the questions of some pretty arcane mysteries — the Force and the mythology that surrounds it — he was the guy who said, ‘What? Huh? Come on.’ There was a callow youth, a beautiful princess, a wise old warrior, and there was a smart-ass.”
Harrison Ford’s character was definitely the latter in the original trilogy. He put his faith in what he could see and feel, not so much in “hokey religions and ancient weapons.” That’s why his turn in The Force Awakens trailer, in which he informs John Boyega’s Finn and Daisy Ridley’s Rey that all the legends of Jedi and the Force are real, was so surprising to fans. Had Han Solo changed? Yes and no.
“No, there’s not an abandoning of the character. He does not aspire to the position of Obi-‘Ben’ Kenobi, nor do I aspire to be some New Age Alec Guinness. His development is consistent with the character, and there are emotional elements which have occasioned his growth.”
But don’t worry, Star Wars fans. The rouge smuggler with a heart of gold is still in there somewhere.
“We spend a lot more time on his failure to master basic skills, like accounting. And accounting for his own behavior. There’s a lot of the rouge still left in Solo. Some things don’t change.”
All in all, its nice to hear Harrison Ford open up about Solo and begin to accept and embrace him more than ever. It goes hand-in-hand with the changing nature of his character after all these years. Soon, fans will get to witness all that first hand when Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters on Dec. 18.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
