At the end of 2020, Disney streamed an Investor Day presentation which saw Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy announce plans for a new Disney+ series titled Lando (along with Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron).
Star Wars legend Billy Dee Williams was never mentioned, and neither was Solo: A Star Wars Story star Donald Glover, though we'd later learn the latter would reprise his standout role in the spin-off. Over the past three years, however, the project seems to have come to a complete standstill.
Glover has repeatedly dodged questions about the series, though this past April's Star Wars Celebration saw Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy assure fans, "It's still happening."
When plans for Lando were revealed, we learned Justin Simien would serve as showrunner, and in the years since, he's focused on directing Haunted Mansion for Disney (a movie which arrives in theaters on July 28).
Talking to The Direct (via SFFGazette.com), the filmmaker shared his take on where things stand with Lando...and it doesn't sound overly promising.
"I certainly poured my heart and spent a lot of time working with them to put together a really great show," Simien says. "It feels like everybody loves it. And, you know, I was told we had to put a pause on it because of scheduling, and the next update I got [was in 2020], some years ago."
"So I don't know," he admitted. "I have no idea what's going on with it."
Seeing as the showrunner hasn't heard anything for three years, we're beginning to think Kennedy might have told a little white lie earlier this year (unless she's planning to move forward with another creative in charge and hasn't informed Simien).
Given how many other blatantly cancelled projects - Rian Johnson's Star Wars trilogy and Rogue Squadron, for example - supposedly remain in the works according to the executive, this is par for the course. It would be a real shame if Lando falls by the wayside, though.
It may well happen somewhere down the line, but for now, we're not expecting it to hit Disney+ anytime soon!