With so many different Star Wars shows in various stages of development, it can be easy to forget what all of the projects are that are in the works! One of the projects that has been officially announced, yet one we know almost nothing about, is Lando, a series that will follow fan favorite Lando Calrissian.
Near the end of an interview with on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Donald Glover was asked by the host about the new Lando project that he’s working on. Laughing, Glover said, “Am I? … No, yeah, I have a lot of things, I like to blossom and then go away. … And, like, right now’s definitely the start of another one of those, I have like a ton of stuff I’ve been working on but I just want it to feel like, I just want it all to come out at the same time so I feel like that’s what’s important.”
Now I don’t know about you, but that’s certainly not a denial, and if anything it could be taken to mean that Glover is indeed working on the project and has several others in store as well. But we’re probably trying to read too much into a relatively non-answer here, except to say that it’s extremely notable that he didn’t deny it, and really he didn’t even try to. He more or less tried to dodge the question while still sort of giving an answer.
And I think part of what makes this different from other projects – like, say, the long-rumored and now finally-realized Obi-Wan Kenobi project – is that we know that a Lando project is in development for Disney+. Lucasfilm President Kathy Kennedy announced in December 2020 that the “event series” would be coming to the streaming platform and would be developed by Justin Simien. We haven’t really heard anything about it since then, but the fact that the series was officially announced and is therefore known for certain to be in the works makes this question for Glover a bit more credible, and his answer a bit more interesting. Though no casting has been announced, the series has been – so perhaps that’s why he’s not dodging the question as much as we otherwise might have expected.
Because a series about Lando Calrissian will almost certainly feature the title character played by either Billy Dee Williams or Donald Glover (or, perhaps, both?). I feel very confident in assuming that the role won’t be re-cast, and it makes the most sense for Glover to return. Though Williams has played Lando in most of the character’s appearances, including The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, Glover was a perfect choice to bring a younger Lando to life in Solo: A Star Wars Story. His portrayal of the scoundrel was one of the most praised aspects of the film, and it seems like a no-brainer that a series on the character would offer a chance for Glover to continue those stories.
But we know almost nothing for certain about this show, and that includes Glover’s involvement. Although reading between the lines, I’d say this interview is a subtle indication that he is in fact involved, as we’ve suspected.
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