New Han Solo Series Will Change Disney’s ‘Star Wars’ Sequel Trilogy

Star Wars is once again stirring the sequel trilogy pot by answering questions about Disney’s sequel trilogy and subsequently changing the narrative.

The Legacy of Han Solo in the Star Wars Franchise

Han Solo, portrayed by Harrison Ford in the original Star Wars trilogy and later by Alden Ehrenreich in 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, is a charismatic smuggler-turned-hero who captains the Millennium Falcon alongside his co-pilot Chewbacca.

Introduced in Star Wars: Episode IV–A New Hope (1977), Han begins as a cynical rogue concerned only with money, but over time becomes a key figure in the Rebel Alliance, helping defeat the Empire and forming a deep bond with Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), whom he eventually marries.

His journey spans from outlaw to war hero and father to Ben Solo, AKA Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), whose fall to the dark side tragically complicates Han’s later years, culminating in his emotional death at his son’s hand in Star Wars: Episode VII–The Force Awakens (2015).

Ford’s return to the franchise in J. J. Abrams’ first installment in Disney’s Skywalker Saga, as well as the returns of Fisher’s Leia Organa and Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker, helped launch this new era of the galaxy far, far away into the billion-dollar box office territory. However, from then on, the House of Mouse’s continuation of the series became increasingly marred and critiqued by audiences.

Disney’s Sequel Trilogy Aftermath

While The Force Awakens was relatively loved by most, the two follow-ups–Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII–The Last Jedi (2017) and Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker (2019)–were much more divisive.

In fact, Johnson’s effort was so polarizing that it prompted a campaign to rewrite and redo the entire sequel trilogy. As for The Rise of Skywalker, Abrams’ second venture into the faraway galaxy was hit with criticism over its plot and character choices, particularly the return of Ian McDiarmid’s Emperor Palpatine and the subsequent reveal of Rey’s (Daisy Ridley) lineage.

The sequels were such a challenge for Disney that there has been no feature film release since the December 2019 run of The Rise of Skywalker. That will change next year, though, when Jon Favreau brings his small-screen heroes, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Din Grogu, to movie theaters. From there, Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter will launch in May 2027. Levy’s film is a standalone set five years after The Rise of Skywalker, starring Ryan Gosling (Barbie) and Mia Goth (Pearl).

It is exciting that Star Wars is finally going beyond the sequel trilogy, but that hasn’t stopped them from continuing to explore the timeline before the sequels, and a new Han Solo-centric series looks to rewrite what we know about Disney’s trilogy.

Han Solo Series Announced

Star Wars has done plenty to add context to its sequel trilogy, especially padding out the story of Palpatine’s resurrection and his apparent cloning efforts. Books have confirmed Supreme Leader Snoke’s (Andy Serkis) origin, while TV shows like The Bad Batch explored the Emperor’s obsession with Force-sensitive cloning.

Outside of Palpatine, other projects have explored Kylo Ren’s relationship with his grandfather, Darth Vader, while a recent Rise of Skywalker remake finally gave fans the scene they always wanted. Now, Star Wars will once again rewrite elements of how audiences understood the sequels by launching a five-part Han Solo series set before the events of The Force Awakens.

And Harrison Ford is nowhere in sight.

The new five-part comic series will follow Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, Leia, and Chewbacca as they attempt to recover the Millennium Falcon.

“Less than satisfied with a settled life, Han Solo lands on the idea of reclaiming the Falcon and returning to a life of adventure. The problem is, he can’t find it,” the synopsis reads. “After enlisting a less than enthusiastic Chewbacca, the duo embarks upon a quest to reclaim the greatest ship in the galaxy. Standing in their way are a laundry list of rogues who have staked a claim to the Millennium Falcon as well, like the villainous scoundrel who stole the Falcon, Ducain.”

It was never made clear in The Force Awakens how the Falcon was stolen from Han Solo, so this new five-part venture will finally fill in those gaps.

“’Han Solo–Hunt for the Falcon’ is a dream come true,” writer Rodney Barnes told Newsarama (via ComicBook). “Han, Leia, Chewbacca and Lando were my heroes as a kid. To write an adventure that includes that quartet (and more!) is truly an honor. One huge check off my bucket list!”

“Hunt for the Falcon” is yet another example of Star Wars answering questions outside of the screen, a path that can divide fans of the franchise who perhaps long to see stories like these play out in live-action. Editor Mark Paniccia showed his enthusiasm regarding the project:

“Rodney is pulling all these characters who’ve had history with the Falcon and having them cross their deadly paths. It’s a very fun ride that captures the heart of who Han Solo is while throwing him into some ‘uncomfortable’ situations. And Ramon Rosanas is doing some of the best work of his career on this. This is a special project for him and the detail he brings to the ships and locations is magnificent.”

“Han Solo–Hunt for the Falcon” begins releasing on September 3, 2025.

How do you feel about this new change to the Star Wars sequel trilogy? Let us know in the comments down below!