Lawrence Kasdan

Lawrence Edward Kasdan is an American director, screenwriter, and producer. He is the co-writer of the Star Wars films The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), The Force Awakens (2015), and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). Kasdan also co-wrote the Indiana Jones film Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and is the writer-director of Body Heat (1981), The Big Chill (1983), and The Accidental Tourist (1988). Kasdan is known for updating old Hollywood genres—film noir, science-fiction, westerns—in a classical dramatic style with quick-witted dialogue, but dealing with contemporary social themes. As a director, Kasdan has made various personal films that examine characters and generations.