Donald Glover, known for his portrayal of Lando Calrissian in the 2018 film “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” is set to return to the Star Wars universe. Above the Line has exclusively learned that Donald, along with his brother Stephen Glover, is currently writing the upcoming Lando series for Disney+. The series, which has been in development by Lucasfilm since it was announced during Disney Investor Day in December 2020, will focus on the charismatic smuggler, Lando Calrissian.
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The Glover brothers are stepping in to replace Justin Simien, the director of Disney’s upcoming “Haunted Mansion” film, who was originally attached to the Lando series project. While Simien had previously given a vague response about his involvement, it has been confirmed that he has been off the project since last summer, choosing to concentrate on his directing duties for “Haunted Mansion.”
Donald Glover’s return to the role of Lando Calrissian is highly anticipated, and it is unlikely that he would write the script for another actor to portray the character. Given his attachment to the writing process, fans can expect to see him don the purple cloak once again in the upcoming Disney+ series.
The involvement of the Glover brothers has been kept under wraps, as they signed on to the project well before the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, and no work has been performed on the series since the writers went on strike on May 2.
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While “Solo: A Star Wars Story” did not achieve massive box office numbers, the film was far from a flop, grossing $392 million worldwide. Despite the studio not showing immediate interest in a sequel, there has always been excitement around the prospect of a spinoff series centered around Lando.
In an interview with GQ in April, Donald Glover spoke about the possibility of reprising the role of Lando Calrissian, expressing his interest in returning to the character. However, he emphasized that it would have to be done “the right way” and that he would love to portray Lando again if the circumstances were ideal.
Both Donald and Stephen Glover have impressive track records in the entertainment industry. Stephen received two Emmy nominations for his work as a writer on Donald’s FX series “Atlanta” and another nomination for his writing on “Saturday Night Live.” The Glover brothers have previously collaborated on successful projects such as Prime Video’s acclaimed series “Swarm” and Amazon’s “Guava Island,” which featured Donald Glover alongside Rihanna.
Variety has confirmed that the Glover brothers have signed on to write the Lando series for Disney+. The project was initially announced as a limited series in December 2020, with Justin Simien attached at that time. However, it appears that Simien is no longer involved, and the Glover brothers will be taking on the writing duties independently.
The character of Lando Calrissian was originally portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Donald Glover first brought the character to life in Ron Howard’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” which served as a prequel to the original trilogy.
As the writing for the Lando series progresses, fans eagerly anticipate the return of one of the Star Wars universe’s most beloved characters. With Donald Glover’s proven talent and the creative collaboration with his brother Stephen, the upcoming Disney+ series promises to be a thrilling addition to the ever-expanding Star Wars universe.