Disney and LucasFilm’s highly-anticipatedHan Solo spin-offstarted production in London last month, with the studio releasing the first official photo, featuringAlden Ehrenreichas Han Solo,Donald Gloveras Lando Calrissian andJoonas Suotamoas Chewbacca, along withEmilia ClarkeandPhoebe Waller-Bridge, whose characters have not yet been confirmed. The photo also featuredWoody Harrelson, who confirmed in an interview just a month before filming started, that he is playing the iconic character Garris Shrike, who first appeared in the 1997 novelThe Paradise Snare, and was seen as a criminal mentor to Han Solo in the years beforeA New Hope. Now it seems that the actor may be playing the same character, but with a different name.
While promoting his new movieWilsononThe Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the late-night talk show host brought up his newStar Wars movie. While the actor wouldn’t say much, the host asked if he could at least say who he was playing, although his answer may be quite surprising to some who have been following this movie. Here’s whatWoody Harrelsonhad to say, when asked who he is playing inHan Solo: A Star Wars Story.
“I play a guy named Beckett, who’s kind of a criminal and a mentor to Han. That’s all I can say.”
Just weeks beforeWoody Harrisonsupposedly confirmed he’s playing Garris Shrike in an interview, the actor said he is playing, “a mentor to Han, but I’m also a bit of a criminal.” Since this character description matched that of Garris Shrike, it lead several fans to theorize that he’s actually playing Garris. The actor is even currently listed on IMDB as playing Garris Shrike, which leads to even more confusion about why he told a national TV audience that he’s playing Beckett, but there is one possible explanation.
Back in 2014,Star Wars: RebelsproducerSimon Kinbergteased that the newStar Warsmovies, which began withStar Wars: The Force Awakens, would avoid theExpanded Universe, the massive collection of novels, comic books and other stories that weren’t officially connected to theStar Warstimeline now known as the Legends canon. It was later confirmed that the Expanded Universe is officially not part of theStar Warscanon, with a new series of books, comics and other materials that are part of the canon, arriving regularly throughout the past few years. Since Garris Shrike has never been seen in theStar Warsmovies, and since he debuted in the Expanded Universe novelThe Paridise Snarein 1997, it’s possible that Beckett is a composite of Garris Shrike and other character elements devised by LucasFilm, but that’s only speculation.
WhileWoody Harrelsonwouldn’t say much else about the plot ofHan Solo: A Star Wars Story, he did confirm that he’ll be shooting in London until the end of July. We also reported earlier this month that production will shift to the Canary Islands, which will be used for scenes set on Han Solo’s home planet ofCorellia, which, if this report is true, will mark the first time the planet has been seen in aStar Warsmovie.Phil LordandChris Millerare directingHan Solo: A Star Wars Storyfrom a script byLawrence KasdanandJon Kasdan, with LucasFilm setting this spin-off for release on August 04, 2025. Take a look at part ofWoody Harrelson’s appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
