A TV spot for Solo: A Star Wars Story contains some new footage from the spinoff, including the moment Han learns Chewbacca’s name. It may have taken Lucasfilm a while, but the studio is now in the thick of their marketing campaign for their May release. Last week, they unveiled the full theatrical trailer, outlining key aspects of the story while highlighting the tone of an old school space adventure film. Fans have long been skeptical of Solo (especially after the infamous production difficulties), but the conversation seems to be more positive now.
There’s just a month until Solo makes its world premiere at Cannes, meaning we’re already coming down the home stretch for promotion. As viewers add Solo merchandise to their collections, Lucasfilm is keeping the hype train rolling by unveiling a new TV ad for the movie. You can check it out for yourself in the space above.
The commercial primarily focuses on the dynamic between Han and Chewbacca, which should be a main component of Solo’s emotional core. Much like the trailer, the two get some humorous interactions, such as the scene where Han accuses his Wookiee co-pilot of thinking “everything” is a bad idea. The spot closes with a shot of Han showing off his sabacc hand to Chewie, and it’s safe to say the latter is not impressed by what he sees. Ideally, Solo will go a long way in enhancing audiences’ love for the dynamic duo, fleshing out their relationship in ways the saga films couldn’t really touch on. If director Ron Howard is successful in his mission to endear us even more to Han and Chewie, then the movie will be another Star Wars hit.
In terms of plot specifics, the spot reiterates the main crux of the narrative is crime boss Dryden Vos putting together a crew to rob the train-like vehicle known as the Conveyex. Han’s mentor Tobias Beckett is the one who hears about this job and recruits the youngster to the team. It’ll be interesting to see how the heist element plays out in Solo, since advertising has teased betrayal is in store for the idealistic Han. The cold-hearted cynic in A New Hope is a far cry from the wide-eyed optimist who has a good feeling about things in Solo, so whatever happens must truly shake Han to his core. Some have theorized Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra is a Vesper Lynd type who stabs Han in the back, but it could very well be someone else.
Regardless of how the narrative plays out, it’s easy to argue the Solo advertising has done its job well. With all of the doubt hanging over the movie for the past year, it was very important for the trailers and TV spots to show some promise, and they’ve done just that. This isn’t to say it’s a guarantee Solo will be a quality film, but at least marketing isn’t giving fans more reasons to worry. Hopefully Howard steadied the ship and saved the spinoff from whatever problems it had, and Solo can be another worthwhile addition to the franchise.
MORE: Solo: A Star Wars Story Trailer Breakdown
Source: Lucasfilm
- Han Solo Release Date: 2018-05-25 Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker Release Date: 2019-12-20
