Credit: LucasfilmIn an odd twist of fate, Harrison Ford’s most popular role is also his most hated. When asked about reprising his role as Han Solo for a Star Wars Holiday Special, Ford had a simple but clear response: absolutely not.
The action star is well known for playing Dr. Henry Jones, a.k.a. Indiana Jones, in the Indiana Jones franchise. Since Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark came out in 1981, the franchise has seen five movies, including the most recent release, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). While Ford has done dozens of other projects and will be the latest actor to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the release of Captain America: Brave New World in 2025, perhaps his most popular role is that of Han Solo in the Star Wars movies.
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The first Star Wars movie debuted in 1977 and introduced the world to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford). The film would create a resurgence in the popularity of science fiction and would create a fandom that continues to grow with the same fervor even 40 years later. The portrayal of the cocky, sassy, bounty hunter Han Solo made Ford a household name.
It was one of his first major feature film roles and he would reprise the role for two subsequent Star Wars films, as well as 2016’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. However, despite it being his most popular character, Ford’s dislike of being equated and compared to Hans Solo has become a source of contention between the actor and fans for several years.
In the past, Ford has been outspoken about the franchise and the character, and often seems reluctant and unhappy to discuss the series when it’s brought up. A recent interview moment from the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is being shared across social media again, once again proving that Ford strongly dislikes the Star Wars franchise.
During the red carpet moment with IGN, the interviewer asks Ford, “if you were to do a new Star Wars holiday special tied to The Force Awakens, what would you want to see in it?” Rather than directly respond to the question, Ford instead replies ,”I’d kill myself.”
Harrison Ford would rather die than do another Star Wars Holiday Special pic.twitter.com/vgDampbrcn
— IGN (@IGN) December 19, 2023
The Star Wars Holiday Special was released in 1978, in between the success of the first Star Wars movie and the release of the sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. It was only aired on television once, on its premiere date, and was never played again due to its poor reception. The special features are the return of the main cast and the first appearance of Boba Fett. It follows Chewbacca and Han Solo as they attempt to visit the Wookie’s home planet of Kashyyyk to celebrate “Life Day.” Along their journey, they’re followed by the Galactic Empire who are searching for signs of the Rebel Alliance hiding on the planet. While we see the return of the main cast, viewers were also introduced to Chewbacca’s family, including his father, wife, and son. The holiday special is the only time Chewbacca’s family makes an appearance.
The special was so badly received that it was never officially released on home video or played again, although it has become a cult classic among Star Wars fans. Even the cast and George Lucas himself (who did not have much involvement to begin with) typically try to distance themselves from the production. The knowledge of the holiday special being so poorly received and reviewed not only gives the context behind Ford’s response, but makes it even more hilarious.
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One other major, Disney-owned franchise recently released a Christmas special, to opposite reception. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was released on Disney+ in 2022 and was overall well-received by fans and critics, a direct contrast to the Star Wars attempt some 40 years before. It’s possible that Star Wars could attempt another holiday special in the future, although it would more likely feature characters from Star Wars’ streaming series rather than any of the characters from the films. At the very least, it definitely won’t include Harrison Ford.
Would you like to see a new Star Wars holiday special? Or do you agree with Harrison Ford? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!