Han Solo spin off news: Donald Glover says his incantation of Lando Calrissian will be 'cool'
With the soaring box-office sales of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," Lucasfilm Ltd. has just busted its door wide open for more anthology films in its pipeline. This provides more leeway at the same time less pressure on the next standalone project in the can for the studio, which is the yet-to-be-titled Han Solo spinoff.
Not much is known about the narrative and the exact storyline the film will tread, only that it will be set pre-Star Wars era, before Han Solo was dubbed a "scruffy nerf herder." Needless to say, the casting sheet for the film is reeking with talent starting with Alden Ehrenreich playing the titular role that Harison Ford played in the first versions of "Star Wars," along with "Game of Thrones" actress Emilia Clarke who will play a yet undisclosed part. Chewie will obviously still be a part of the story as well as co-smuggler and smooth talker Lando Calrissian who will be played by Donald Glover.
Calrissian only came to prominence when he turned on Han and Leia in Bespin in favor of Darth Vader in "Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back." Luckily, he was quick to change his mind about moving forward with his deal with the Empire and tried to save Han from the Carbonite freeze. Since then, he has become a key player in the succeeding film, "Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi" helping the rebellion destroy the second Death Star while the others are fighting the battle at Endor.
But Han and Lando's history goes way back — from their on-screen meeting in the Cloud City. The iconic Millennium Falcon was first owned by the latter before losing it to the former via a classic game of sabacc, which fans are only hoping to get presented on the big screen. And given that they presumably both run in the same circles of con-artists and black markets in the galaxy, there are some yet to be told interesting stories that the two have shared before they got entangled in the Skywalker family drama.
One thing is for sure, however, Glover promises that his incantation of the Billy Dee Williams' memorable role will be nothing short of being cool.
"I remember Lando really well. He was like the only black guy in space. And he was the cool one. I just realized, he still has to be cool. And cool is an interesting thing," he said in a roundtable panel for The Hollywood Reporter. "Also, it's fun because [the Han Solo movie is set] before [Empire Strikes Back], so he's still figuring it out a little bit, which is fun."
The Han Solo spinoff prequel is directed by duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and is set for a May 25, 2018 release. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has recently confirmed that production for the project will start sometime in February 2017.