The lack of promotional materials for Solo: A Star Wars Story is starting to get weird. With only four months to go before the film’s release, we haven’t yet gotten a glimpse of Alden Ehrenreich in action as the lovable scoundrel. Even by Lucasfilm’s standards of secrecy, it’s very irregular that we haven’t even seen an official poster for the film, aside from the title on a black background.
While one might assume this is just to keep the film’s secrets so audiences get the most out of their moviegoing experience this May, all the bad press and rumors surrounding the production of Solo might indicate otherwise. The Last Jedi’s divisive storyline also didn’t help things, as there is a growing number of fans who are worried about what Lucasfilm might do to their beloved franchise.
So what does the movie’s first trailer have to do to get skeptical Star Wars enthusiasts back on board? Well, no matter how good the trailer is, it’s obviously not going to satisfy everybody. Nothing ever does. However, if the trailer is able to successfully draw from the well of Star Wars nostalgia while also showing us something we’ve never seen before, it’ll be off to a good start.
The nostalgia part shouldn’t be hard. Much like Rogue One, the movie is set right around the era of the original trilogy. There will be plenty of opportunities for easter eggs and references to the first three Star Wars films. Between nods to the Kessel Run, the Millennium Falcon, and shooting people first, there is a ton of potential for fan service here.
However, unlike Rogue One, this movie is going to focus on a character people know and love. Fans who didn’t like Jyn Erso didn’t have anything to worry about because they’ll never have to see her in another movie. However, if Han isn’t portrayed well, people are going to be angry. Well, they’re probably going to be angry anyway, but you get my point.
What’s going to be more difficult is finding ways to show the audience something they’ve never seen before. Solo will be the tenth live action theatrical release in the franchise, so coming up with something original won’t be easy. This task is made even harder by the fact that the movie is a prequel—gasp!
However, there is one thing the trailer can focus on that will put a smile on the face of pretty much any Star Wars fan: Chewbacca. The galaxy’s most famous Wookiee hasn’t been a huge part of the sequel trilogy so far, even though the few scenes he’s been featured in have been pretty great. While there wasn’t a lot of room in The Last Jedi for any meaningful character development for Chewbacca, Solo will likely explore how Han and Chewie met, and how their friendship developed. This movie should be able to satisfy fans who want more Chewie in their lives, and the first trailer is a good opportunity to showcase this.
Another factor the movie has going for it is the casting of Lando Calrissian. Donald Glover is about as good of a choice to play the legendary gambler as possible, and the movie’s success partly hinges on the chemistry between Alden Ehrenreich Han Solo and his closest allies.
One of the most worrying rumors about this movie is the report that Alden Ehrenreich struggled to portray his character, and that an acting coach was required to help him play the part. Fans will be watching his performance in the trailer with a keen eye to see whether or not he can capture the charm that Harrison Ford nailed in his four films. This is why we need a moment in this trailer that reminds people of the Han Solo of the original trilogy. However, Ehrenreich needs to ride a fine line here, and not just do a Harrison Ford impersonation.
For a movie that is almost guaranteed to be a box office success, Solo: A Star Wars Story is facing an uphill battle. However, a first trailer that includes some of these things will put the film on the right track.