Director Ron Howard dishes on the upcoming Han Solo 'Star Wars' prequel

— -- Ron Howard has directed dozens of films in his decades-long career, but stepping behind the camera still presents some trials for the veteran director.

The Academy Award winner told ABC News he found it “very challenging” to take over the reins of the upcoming Han Solo prequel, "Solo: A Star Wars Story" from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller over the summer.

The movie, which is currently in post-production, is expected to hit theaters in May.

"Those are challenging projects. And they take they take, you know, a lot of very talented people’s energy to try to live up to the legacy of 'Star Wars' and everything that it means," he said. "Of course, no spoilers coming from me but I had a great experience and I think fans are going to really enjoy it."

Howard, 63, spoke to ABC News at the Beverly Hills premiere of another movie he's passionate about: "Broken Memories," which stars his father, octogenarian Rance Howard, as a man struggling with Alzheimer's disease. Before the screening, the Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles organization presented gifts to Ron Howard and his daughter, actress Bryce Dallas Howard. They received framed photographs of Rance Howard with his late wife, Judy Howard, who died earlier this year after a battle with Alzheimer's.

"He’s quite a guy and very disappointed that he can’t be here himself so we decided to come out in force and say what he would’ve said if he could be here," Ron Howard told ABC News of his father. "He loved making the movie. He believes in what [the film] said: It’s a subject that has touched our family -- Alzheimer’s. ... [and] could be applied to anyone’s life."

Added Bryce Dallas Howard: "We’ve experienced what an organization like Alzheimer's Greater Los Angeles can do for a family ... so to get to give back in even in a smallest way is meaningful."