As the Star Wars galaxy continues to expand through new Star Wars Disney+ series and, eventually upcoming Star Wars movies, we have seen different ways that the franchise has brought back iconic characters from the original trilogy. In the case of Luke Skywalker, we’ve seen CGI used to recreate him, but for Lando Calrissian, a younger version of him saw a new actor, Donald Glover, don the iconic cape. And while original actor Billy Dee Williams thinks Glover is great, he doesn’t want anybody to forget who the real Lando is.
Speaking with Radio Times Billy Dee Williams was asked about Donald Glover, who took on the role of Lando for Solo: A Star Wars Story, and is expected to reprise the role down the road for a future Lando movie. Williams calls Glover “talented” and is happy to see the character continuing, but he stops short of calling Glover Lando Calrissian because according to him, there is only one. Williams said…
He's part of a whole new generation. He'll create whatever he needs to create, to bring appeal to the character. He's a very talented young lad and very imaginative. I mean, it's not for me to say what he should do with the character at this stage. I took care of the 20th century, now he's got to take care of the 21st. I had a nice little lunch with him. He's a delightful young man. Extremely talented. But I don't see him... I mean, when it comes to Lando Calrissian there's only one Lando Calrissian. I created that character.
Certainly nobody is arguing that Billy Dee Williams is responsible for creating Lando Calrissian. Donald Glover is only following in his footsteps and his performance as Lando, while it’s certainly not a Billy Dee Williams impression, is inspired by that version of the character in his on-screen persona.
Willy Billy Dee Williams says he’s more than willing to play Lando again (for the right price) there’s no expectation that he will play the part following his appearance in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Donald Glover, however, is expected to play Lando again. Originally there were plans for a Lando-focused series on Disney+ but last year those plans reportedly changed, and the series became a Lando movie.
Having said that, since the announcement that the show was becoming a movie, we haven’t heard anything, so Lando's movie details are few and far between. The current focus for Star Wars on the big screen appears to be the recently announced Mandalorian & Grogu movie, and the new project that will see the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey. We also learned this week that the Patty Jenkins Rogue Squadron movie, once thought dead, isn’t quite dead yet.
Hopefully, we’ll get to see more of Lando Calrissian, one way or the other. If it isn’t the man who created the role, it will be the one who was inspired to take it into the future.
