Phil Lord and Chris Miller were fired as the directors of the, as of yet untitled, Han Solo film and for the last week we've been gathering up as much info as we possibly could to find an answer as to how this clusterfuck of epic proportions even happened. We're all still a little stunned by the news, but a fuller picture has emerged.
Now comes the twist that nobody could even saw coming.
According to the reports that we've heard, 3/4 of the movie was shot by Lord and Miller. There were around 20 or so days left before the end of the shoot would be completed, that's when Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy decided to fire the directing duo and replace them with new director Ron Howard. Well here's the kicker we just uncovered tonight, there is a little-known loophole within DGA rules that might just force Disney to let Lord and Miller release their own cut of the film. Now comes the twist that nobody could even saw coming.
The Directors Guild of America has a rule that states that Miller and Lord have the right to cut their own version of the film as long as "at least 90 percent of the movie was finished on their watch."
The agreement reads:
“A director who is replaced after directing ninety percent (90 percent) but less than one hundred percent (100 percent) of the scheduled principal photography of any motion picture shall be the Director of the film entitled to all the post-production creative rights set forth.”
“No one shall be allowed to interfere with the director of the film during the period of the Director’s Cut. There shall be no ‘cutting behind’ the Director as that term is commonly understood in the motion picture industry.” [The Wrap]
“No one shall be allowed to interfere with the director of the film during the period of the Director’s Cut. There shall be no ‘cutting behind’ the Director as that term is commonly understood in the motion picture industry.” [The Wrap]
Will Lord and Miller have the chutzpah to pursue this or will they go quietly into the night and proceed with their next project, whatever that may be, without causing any more friction with Disney? Being the professionals that they are, with a solid reputation among Hollywood's elite, they might let this go, but if they truly have passion and determination for the vision they created these last 4 months and want to defend what they worked so hard for, then maybe ....