We first heard of plans for a Lando TV series in December 2020 during a Disney Investor Day. Lucasfilm surprised Star Wars fans who tuned in by revealing that Justin Simien would serve as showrunner on the project, with Donald Glover tapped to reprise his role as the iconic character after first playing him in 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Unfortunately, the show quickly got stuck in development hell, with Glover frequently left to dodge questions about whether he was going to reprise the role first made famous by Billy Dee Willaims.
As for Simien, the series was repeatedly brought up in interviews when he was doing the rounds to promote Disney's Haunted Mansion movie last year. Admitting that he'd heard nothing from them about the show since it was announced, the filmmaker said the studio told him they had to figure out everyone's availability...only to later learn - on social media - that he'd been fired.
At the time, it was revealed that Glover and his brother Stephen had taken charge of the project (now a movie) and we've been waiting ever since to learn of Lucasfilm's plans for Lando Calrissian on screen.
The Wall Street Journal recently sat down with Glover (via SFFGazette.com) and got an update on the actor's plans for his contribution to the Star Wars franchise.
"I just want it to be fun," he admitted. "As a 'Star Wars' fan myself, I think it’s important that there needs to be fun being had. It’s very hard to have fun right now. It’s tough because there are very serious things happening and those are the only things that connect us, weirdly."
"So I get why things are serious, but part of the human experience, I believe, is we have a responsibility to have enjoyment," Glover added. "And I just feel like we’re lacking in that department."
He then pointed out that, as much as he loves the Star Wars franchise, it "can be super serious. Sometimes it’s way too serious. Everything that has to do with the Skywalkers is like so serious. [With] Lando, I think the best part about him is he’s a scoundrel. And I feel like people can relate to that, and he’s probably like 'Man, this war is whack. I need money,' which I feel everyone can relate to."
"I want to bring fun to 'Star Wars.' I just want it to be fun," Glover concluded.
The actor first played Lando in 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story and a Lando movie may end up being the closest thing we get to a sequel assuming it incorporates some of the ideas and characters seen in that blockbuster. Whether it will ever come to fruition remains to be seen.
"We’re talking about it. That’s as much as I can say without [Lucasfilm president] Kathleen Kennedy hunting me down," Glover said in 2023. "Lando is charm incarnate. He’s kind of a maverick, which I don’t think there’s a lot of anymore. It’s hard to be the smooth talker nowadays. Where’s the line? That’s also where the danger is. How close can you get without tripping over it?"
"I would love to play Lando again. It’s a fun time, being him. It just has to be the right way to do it. Time is precious."
You can watch the full interview with Glover in the player below.