Solo: A Star Wars Story Cannes Film Festival]].]] "Solo: A Star Wars Story" had its world premiere on May 10, 2018 at the [[El Capitan Theatre]] in Los Angeles, and also screened on May 15, 2018 at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. The film debuted in selected countries on May 23 and had its US release on May 25, 2018, the 41st anniversary of the release of the original "Star Wars" film (later renamed "A New Hope" to distinguish the film from the series), in which [[Harrison Ford]] first appeared as Han Solo. A "sneak peek" TV spot was released during [[Super Bowl LII]] on
Han Solo was reluctant to sign onto the sequels of "Star Wars". Solo's death in "The Force Awakens" came about when writer/director J.J. Abrams felt the character wasn't evolving or contributing to the story's development; he believed that Kylo Ren killing his own father would give him a chance to develop into a worthy successor for Darth Vader. Han Solo is a reckless smuggler with a sarcastic wit; he is "a very practical guy" and considers himself "a materialist"; but the adventures in the first "Star Wars" movie evoke his compassion, a trait "he didn't know he possessed". The American Film Institute