After ‘Solo,’ Alden Ehrenreich Hasn’t Been Keeping Up with the ‘Star Wars’ Franchise

The actor says he's heard some minor rumblings about returning to "Star Wars" as a younger Han Solo.

The critical pans that eviscerated “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” last December made the reviews for “Solo: A Star Wars Story” appear glowing by comparison. While history largely remembers the 2018 Ron Howard-directed “Star Wars” spinoff as a flop, reviews for “Solo” were mixed to positive (70% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it was just the lackluster box office ($393 million worldwide) that made the film a misfire. Why the bad box office? The answer probably has more to do with “Solo” arriving in theaters mere months after “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” than it does with reviews. In a new Esquire interview, “Solo” star Alden Ehrenreich says he wouldn’t rule out a return.

“It depends on what it is,” Ehrenreich answered when asked about returning to the big or small screen as Han Solo. “It depends on how it’s done. It depends if it feels innate to the story.”

While he’s open to returning under the right circumstances, Ehrenreich said there are no official plans for a “Solo” sequel in the cards. “No, I don’t know anything about that,” he said. “I mean, you know, I think our movie was kind of the last of the conventional-era Star Wars movie release time.”

Ehrenreich more or less disappeared from Hollywood in the two years following the “Solo” release. While some actors might have tried to turn the mega-exposure of leading a “Star Wars” movie into more roles and projects, Ehrenreich made the active choice to remove himself from the spotlight.

“It was basically a three-year experience from pre-production to the release of the movie,” the actor told Esquire, “and I just wanted to be a person, connect with people in my life, spend time and develop as a person outside of those worlds. And then you never know.”

One thing Ehrenreich did not do in the two years since “Solo” opened is keep up with the “Star Wars” franchise. The actor revealed he has not seen “The Rise of Skywalker,” and he wasn’t even sure about the name of the Disney+ “Star Wars” television series “The Mandalorian.” When the TV series was brought up, Ehrenreich asked the reporter, “’The Mandalorian,’ that’s what it’s called?”

Given the fallout that came with “Solo,” it’s understandable why Ehrenreich might not want to stay up to date on all things “Star Wars.” While he has no current plans to return as Han Solo, the actor did mention he’s heard some rumors about happenings in the “Star Wars” world that could see him back on screen in the role made famous by Harrison Ford. “I’ve heard [some] stuff, but nothing concrete,” he said.

After his two-year break following “Solo,” Ehrenreich is returning as the lead in Peacock’s original streaming series “Brave New World.” The show begins streaming July 15, the same day Peacock launches in the U.S. Head over to Esquire’s website to read Ehrenreich’s latest profile