There’s perfect casting, there’s beyond perfect casting, then there’s this – Donald Glover has been cast as Lando Calrissian for Han Solo: A Star Wars Story. I really can’t think of a better choice for the young scoundrel.
He will join Alden Ehrenreich, who will play young Han Solo in a story which brings two iconic Star Wars characters back to the big screen, but at a time in their lives previously unexplored. This new film depicts Lando in his formative years as a scoundrel on the rise in the galaxy’s underworld – years before the events involving Han, Leia, and Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back and his rise to Rebel hero in Return of the Jedi.
The directing duo of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street) will be helming the project, with a script written by legendary Star Wars scribe Lawrence Kasdan (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi) and his son Jon Kasdan (Dawson’s Creek, The First Time).
“We’re so lucky to have an artist as talented as Donald join us,” enthused Lord & Miller. “These are big shoes to fill, and an even bigger cape, and this one fits him perfectly, which will save us money on alterations. Also, we’d like to publicly apologize to Donald for ruining Comic-Con for him forever.”
The iconic role was made famous by the great Billy Dee Williams, who continues to voice Lando in video games and tv shows.
Donald shot to fame in Community and as rapper under the moniker ‘Childish Gambino’. Most recently he created the comedy/drama Atlanta, in which he also stars, which airs on Fox in the UK, 5th November 2016 at 10pm