LOS ANGELES, May 27 — It wasn't just Episode IV that celebrated a Star Wars birthday on May 25.
On the occasion of May 25, the entire Star Wars franchise celebrated its 42nd anniversary.
But 1977’s iconic Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope wasn’t necessarily fans’ sole focus over the weekend; 2016’s less well received prequel, Solo: A Star Wars Story, marked two years since its debut on the very same day.
That’s where the MakeSolo2Happen hashtag comes in.
Solo doesn't deserve all the hate it gets. #MakeSolo2Happen pic.twitter.com/sLLRU7Qptc
Advertisement— Everything Star Wars (@EverythingSW66) May 25, 2020
Partway through production, the project transitioned from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller of The Lego Movie and the Jump Street remakes to Ron Howard of A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code.
Upon release, it was the sixth most-expensive film ever made (Avengers: Endgame has since knocked it down to seventh), with a production budget of around US$275 million.
#MakeSolo2Happen We need mor Qi'ra!! pic.twitter.com/nezNxUNBIh
— Art of Ice and Fire (@ArtofASOIAF) May 25, 2020
Once box office returns came in, it emerged as the Star Wars franchise’s worst-performing entry, making US$393 million. With marketing spends taken into account, Solo was considered a flop.
Yet the franchise prequel set itself up for continuation, thanks in part to a surprise and largely unresolved appearance for legacy character Darth Maul.
Just a reminder of some of the awesome characters that Solo introduced in to Star Wars! 👀#StarWars #MakeSolo2Happen pic.twitter.com/aeiz5g53ly
— The Mandaloriain (@starwarsiain) May 25, 2020
Just as importantly, the film has accumulated a fresh cohort of appreciative fans since arriving on streaming services in early 2019.
The #MakeSolo2Happen group of fans is filled with positivity. I’ve tweeted that a Solo sequel movie is unlikely and was not attacked by mobs calling me names. While Star Wars fandom has its toxic pockets, the people in this movement are what I love about Star Wars fandom. ❤️
— Peter Sciretta loves Star Wars (@PeterSciretta) May 25, 2020
Even so, as recently as March, the movie’s co-writer Jon Kasdan cautioned that a sequel would be unlikely, even if only for scheduling reasons. — AFP-Relaxnews
@JonKasdan you got any updates on a Solo sequel or are you completely locked in with Indy 5?
— Mimcus Tomatus (@KenobiJj) March 30, 2020