Han, Chewie, Lando, and Corellian hounds: Everything we learned about 'Solo' from these exclusive new 'Star Wars' toys
Before it flies into theaters on May 25, Solo: A Star Wars Story is landing on toy shelves this spring. April and May will see a flurry of merchandise from the Han-centric prequel, directed by Ron Howard and starring Alden Ehrenreich as the young version of Harrison Ford’s rogue smuggler. Yahoo is premiering exclusive sneak peeks at some of Solo‘s action figures and other toys, coming to you straight from Hasbro and Jakks. From a 4-inch Corellian hound to a 20-inch Chewbacca, there’s something here for every flyboy and flygirl. —By Ethan Alter and Gwynne Watkins
20-inch Chewbacca
The younger, svelter Chewbacca makes his debut as a 20-inch figure in the first Solo toys from Jakks Big-Figs line. Similar the old-school ’80s Chewbacca toys, this one has bandolier with a satchel — but his usual go-to weapon, the bowcaster, has been replaced by a substantial blaster rifle.
18-inch Han Solo
Here’s young Han (as played by Alden Ehrenreich) in all his space-cowboy glory. Han’s trademark silhouette — boots, tight pants, holster, collarless shirt under a jacket or vest — is fully there, but in shades of brown and black, rather than the black and white he wears in his prime. The leather jacket seems like a nod to older, Force Awakens-era Han.
Han’s Landspeeder
Luke’s serviceable (but not speedy) X-34 landspeeder got him back and forth from Tosche Station to the Lars moisture farm… when his uncle would let him go that is. As evidenced by the Solo trailer, Han puts his landspeeder through considerable more wear and tear, using it to outrun Imperial patrol troopers in close-quarters chases on Corellia. In place of the X-34’s oval bumper and three turbines, this cruiser’s boxy design more closely resembles one of the classic ’50s cars that Ron Howard drove when he starred in the 1973 coming-of-age classic American Graffiti — directed, of course, by future Star Wars mastermind, George Lucas. It’s worth noting that Han gets a more adventurous life than Howard’s Graffiti counterpart, Steve Bolander. Where Steve opts to stay in his California hometown and become a local insurance agent, Han travels off-world to bigger and better things.
12-inch Figures
We got glimpses of these 12-inch Solo figures at the 2018 Toy Fair, and can definitively say that they’re just as impressive in real life thanks to five-point articulation and carefully crafted accessories and outfits. We’re particularly happy to add another branch of the Imperial armed forces to our ranks of toys: this patrol trooper features a lightly tweaked design of the classic stormtrooper look, with darker accentuations contrasting with the white armor. Note the black pants and modified chest plate as well as the single visor for vision instead of separate eye-holes.
18-inch Mudtrooper
We haven’t seen a stormtrooper quite like this before. The gas transfer tubes on the mask help the soldiers endure life on the swamp planet of Mimban, while the earthy colors and hooded cape help keep them camouflaged. The armband is something new, but the color is Imperial red, and the yellow hashmarks could indicate rank.
Moloch
We already know who the (anti-) hero of this new Star Wars Story will be — heck, his name’s right there in the title — but we’ve been patiently waiting for more glimpses of the various antagonists Han will meet along the road to his record-shattering Kessel Run. Thanks to a certain Lego set, we’ve discovered the name of one of these walking repositories of scum and villainy: Moloch, whom Hasbro has now immortalized in this 3.75-inch-scale figure. Moloch (played by stuntman Harley Durst) and his sidekick Rebolt (Ian Kenny) reside on Han’s home planet of Corellia and apparently pursue the young rapscallion in their laser-firing landspeeder during the course of the movie. Hasbro’s rendering gives us a better glimpse of Moloch’s robes, as well as the elaborate helmet — complete with breathing tubes — that keeps his face a mystery. If you ask us, Moloch looks and feels a little like Han’s own personal Tusken Raider, which may explain why he and Luke get along so famously when they meet a few years from now.
Rebolt and Corellian Hound
In place of Banthas, Moloch and Rebolt appear to prefer the company of Corellian hounds, snarly-faced mutts that definitely don’t possess the cute factor of those adorable (and tasty!) porgs. Sold as one of several dual-pack assortments of 3.75-inch figures — other combinations include Rose, BB-8 and BB-9E — this duo comes equipped with the hound’s wicked-looking steel leash and cage. If they’re allowed off the chain, so to speak, those hounds will almost certainly an important part of whatever chase happens between Han and Moloch.
[Update at 6:36 a.m. PT: And here are the new Lego sets.]
Kessel Run Millennium Falcon
One of Solo’s biggest action sequences is bound to be the Kessel Run, the hyperspace route that the Millennium Falcon conquered in “less than 12 parsecs,” as Han brags in A New Hope. This Kessel Run Lego set shows that Han didn’t accomplish that alone: Besides Han and Chewbacca, the included minifigures are Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian (showing some sexy five o’clock shadow), Emilia Clarke’s character Qi’ra, a Kessel Guard, and a faceless Kessel Operations Droid.
Of course, the high-end set (suggested retail: $169.99) also includes the old-school Falcon, which has all kinds of bells and whistles: a buildable hyperdrive with repair tools, spring-loaded shooters, and even a Dejarik hologame table in the interior.
Imperial Patrol Battle Pack
The official Lego blurb encourages buyers of this small set (suggested retail: $14.99) to “play out Imperial law-enforcing scenarios,” which could suggest anything from a breakneck chase to a parking violation. Either way, the minifigures seem to be minor characters: an Imperial recruitment officer (likely the one who tells Han, “Try me, you’re going to love it” in the Super Bowl spot); an Imperial emigration officer; and two Imperial patrol troopers. Given the speeder with an Imperial insignia, maybe these troops are among those racing after Han and Qi’ra in the Solo teaser?
Han Solo’s Landspeeder and Moloch’s Landspeeder
Young Skywalker isn’t the only character who can zoom around in a landspeeder! Han’s Lego vehicle looks basic, but it’s tricked out with a removable engine, spring-loaded shooters, “hidden wheels for a hover effect,” and a compartment for “secret cargo.” Which begs the question: What is Han smuggling, even before ? The Han Solo’s Landspeeder set ($29.99) includes Han, Qi’ra, and a Corellian hound, and judging from the outfits, it’s definitely inspired by the chase scene we see in the trailer.
The Moloch’s Landspeeder set ($39.99) boasts two Correllian hounds, a whip-wielding minifigure who seems to be Ian Kenny’s character Rebolt, and the imposing masked alien Moloch. Both are clad in black with some kind of white splattering — perhaps their speeder tips and dumps them in the mud?
Imperial TIE Fighter
This striking, 9-inch brick version of the classic Imperial ship ($69.99) looks to be the one that Han Solo pilots during his brief time serving the Empire. The included minifigs are Han (in an Imperial uniform); an Imperial Pilot (in a black uniform resembling those of TIE fighter pilots in A New Hope); a Mimban mudtrooper (as in, a specialized stormtrooper stationed at the Imperial headquarters on the swamp planet Mimban); and Tobias Beckett, the criminal mentor to Han (played by Woody Harrelson) who seems sure to interfere with the planned Imperial mission.
Han Solo and Range Trooper buildable figures
The Range Trooper is the big reveal here: an imposing stormtrooper variation that appears to be designed for cold weather. The packaging for both figures shows snowy mountains, and explosions, in the background, plus tracks (for mining carts, maybe?) behind the trooper and TIE fighters behind Han. Whatever scene this is, they’re in it together.
Han Solo and Chewbacca BrickHeadz
OK, we didn’t learn too much about the movie from these two sets ($9.99 each), but they’re too adorable not to include.
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