Han Solo movie gets release date, but still no news on actor casting

It will arrive in between Star Wars 8 and 9.

Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed that Star Wars’ Han Solo anthology (basically prequel) film is already in pre-production, with a May 2018 release date being eyed.

The news came as part of an update on the franchise’s next movie, Rogue One.

"This is the first of a set of planned stand-alone stories," he said of the Death Star heist spin-off, which will complete principal photography soon and Disney apparently ‘absolutely loves’ already.

“We're already in pre-production on our next one, for release in May of 2018,” he added of the Han Solo project.

There’s no news yet on who will play Han, who is expected to be in his 20s in the untitled prequel, though we do know that the film will be directed by The Lego Movie’s Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the screenplay will from long-serving Star Wars scribe Lawrence Kasdan, and it won't be an origin story.

Star Wars: Episode VIII is up next, with filming officially underway, Disney’s Star Wars slate also including Episode IX and a film about bounty hunter Boba Fett.