Han Solo star Harrison Ford shares verdict on Alden Ehrenreich in Solo: A Star Wars Story

Let's be honest: aside from the big dogs at Lucasfilm, including George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy, the only person you would hope loves the Han Solo spin-off film you've made is the character's original star, Harrison Ford.

The American actor played the rogue pilot in the original Star Wars trilogy and returned for The Force Awakens in 2015. This new prequel, titled Solo, depicts the events leading up to Lucas' 1977 original starring Alden Ehrenreich as a younger incarnation of the character.

In a tell-all interview with Variety, director Ron Howard reveals that Ford has seen the film twice and “adores” it.

“I had never heard Harrison effusive about anything, and he was raving about it,“ Howard commented, adding that ‘Alden [had] nailed it and "made it his own."

While Ford's positive reaction is perhaps not too surprising considering Disney reportedly paid him up to $34 million to return for Episode VII, this news will come as a sigh of relief to all involved following the tumultuous events which led to Howard's employment; he replaced original filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller who were let go by Disney and ended up directing 70 per cent of the film.

An anonymous source, when asked about the events leading up to Lord and Miller's departure, said: “In their minds, Phil and Chris were hired to make a movie that was unexpected and would take a risk, not something that would just service the fans. They wanted it to be fresh, new, emotional, surprising and unique.

“These guys looked at Han as a maverick, so they wanted to make a movie about a maverick. But at every turn, when they went to take a risk, it was met with a no.”

Speaking about his decision to accept Kennedy's offer to direct, Howard added: “It was more inviting for me, in a way, because it’s not a sequel. It uses a familiar character and is true to the spirit of ‘Star Wars’ movies and the galaxy, but it’s a single adventure story about this guy and the relationships that are going to shape his destiny and the challenges that are going to test him along the way.”

Solo: A Star Wars Story is released in cinemas on 24 May