Star Wars: Han Solo's most iconic line was improvised, yet Lord and Miller were fired for improvising

Screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan reportedly demands that every line be said word for word

Han Solo (LucasFilm)

There’s been a disturbance in the Force, have you felt it?

In case you’ve been living on a moisture farm, Phil Lord and Chris Miller have been booted from the Han Solo movie, The Da Vinci Code’s Ron Howard replacing the duo.

Since then, numerous publications have speculated over what exactly the Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street filmmakers were fired for, the answers seemingly being found in Hollywood’s trade press.

The Hollywood Reporter has offered multiple in-depth looks behind the scenes, sources telling the publication how screenwriter/Star Wars veteran Lawrence Kasdan and Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy have not been impressed by the pair’s working style or take on the character.

"People need to understand that Han Solo is not a comedic personality,” one said. “He's sarcastic and selfish.”

In a more recent post, THR sources say there were "deep fundamental philosophical differences” between the two parties, the directors feeling they had "zero creative freedom.”

Apparently, to appease those above them, Lord and Miller would do multiple takes of each scene, sticking exactly to the script before trying their usual improvisational style, something that took many more hours than had been booked.

“They collaborate closely with their actors and give them creative freedom that, in their experience, brings out the actors' best performances," one source said. "Lawrence Kasdan would not allow this and demanded that every line was said word for word.”

Now, this single point about improvisation has proven a little difficult to swallow. Why? Because Han Solo’s arguably most iconic and defining moment was improvised.

“I know.”

Those famous two words, coolly spoken in response to Princess Leia’s “I love you”, have helped define the character. (The script actually read “I love you, too.”)

Director Irvin Kershner famously made multiple changes to Kasdan’s script while making The Empire Strikes Back, often discussing with the actors how to progress. There’s even a recording, made by unit publicist Alan Arnold, which features a conversation between Ford and Kushner on set while making the carbonate scene, the pair bouncing ideas off each other.

Speaking about the moment later on, Kershner said: “Harrison is a very fine actor. I regarded that scene as entirely his, which is why I gave him so much opportunity to tell me how he thought we should treat it.”

George Lucas, at the time, was unhappy with the take, believing the original scripted line should be used. But then, after screening to an audience with ‘I know’ included, the moment was kept thanks to everyone in attendance apparently loving the line.

Somewhat ironically, that kind of debate around the script — those conversations that helped make The Empire Strikes Back — are not happening anymore. Without that creative freedom (and without time for those discussions) we would have never had that incredible line.

Lord and Miller’s firing seems an increasingly systematic problem of studios wanting directors to toe the line rather than have any major creative input — a similar thing happening to Rogue One’s Gareth Edwards who was reportedly supplanted by writer Tony Gilroy.

Of course, Kennedy may be right to give control to Kasdan. The legendary screenwriter worked on Empire, Force Awakens, Return of the Jedi, and the Indiana Jones film Raiders of the Lost Ark.

But for two directors with huge amounts of talent, whose work ethic compliments how Han Solo evolved into the character we all love, one can’t help being a little worried about the project.

The still untitled film reaches cinemas 25 May 2018.