Is George Lucas Mind Controlling Ron Howard?
When Lucasfilm needed a veteran director to mop up the Han Solo mess left by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, they didn’t have to look far. In fact, they didn’t have to look at all. Ron Howard, the former actor-turned-director of such hits as Backdraft, Apollo 13, and The Da Vinci Code was on the horn to Kathleen Kennedy even before Lord & Miller had finished packing their things at Pinewood Studios. Howard was thirsty to reunite with his pals at Lucasfilm. And his enthusiasm was rewarded — Kennedy announced him as the new Han Solo helmer in under 48 hours.
That’s when the rumors began again.
Let’s rewind a bit. Back in 1988 Ron Howard directed the fantasy adventure Willow based on an original story by Star Wars creator George Lucas. Throughout the production, cast and crew commented on how in sync Howard and Lucas were. Some went as far as to say the fast friends could finish each other’s sentences, almost as though they shared one mind. Their simpatico was made all the more dramatic given their polar opposite physical appearances. Lucas, an imposing figure in plaid with immortal hair and beard like that of the Judeo-Christian depiction of God, could not look any more different than the thin, ginger, bald Howard who’s been struggling to grow a beard since his Happy Days-era.
According to an anonymous source, on more than one occasion, Howard seemed to go into a trance-like state and give his actors direction in the Lucas style. “I remember one day he just told me to y’know do your thing. More dense and intense. He asked me to stare at a piece of paper and imagine a monster,” recalls Val Kilmer who portrayed Madmartigan in the film.
For all their shared sensibilities, Howard and Lucas’ Willow was but a modest success at the box office. Afterwards, the filmmakers stayed in touch. Fast forward a few years to 1997 when Lucas began preparing to make the Star Wars prequels. The Maker immediately called Howard to help him given the enormity of the task at hand. Serving as unofficial advisor, Howard provided Lucas with invaluable guidance, support… and a second body?
“Ron is wizard as can be! He stood up for me when Newsweek called me Mannequin Skywalker. Though there was that one time… I saw Ron taking a conference call as George… and he wasn’t impersonating him… I think he was him. But I can’t be sure. I was on all kinds of meds back then,” said Jake Lloyd from his mom’s basement.
After the prequels, Lucas and Howard took a break from working together. That didn’t stop rumors from spiraling out of control. By now, several people within Lucasfilm were convinced Lucas had somehow found a way to hack Howard’s brain and turn him into a Remote Access Terminal. Some conspiracy theorists believe Lucas actually directed How The Grinch Stole Christmas remotely using Howard as his talking piece.
Fast forward to today. Howard has finally grown a slight beard. And he jumped at the chance to direct Han Solo before the space dust had even settled. Is Lucas hacking into Howard’s head again as a backdoor way to regain creative control of a film set in the universe he created? Once the first trailer drops for the film, we’ll have a better idea. But until then, there’s no denying it certainly feels like Lord & Miller have been replaced by the bizarre duo of Lucas and his mind controlled drone Howard.
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—William “Willybobo” Bobo
