Phil Roberts 
Justin Simien reflects on the cancelled Star Wars: Lando series and reveals the extent of the project’s development.
The STAR WARS: LANDO series, helmed by Justin Simien and initially announced four years ago, sparked excitement among fans. However, the disappointment was palpable when news of its cancellation emerged. Although the series was in an advanced state of development, the show never made it to the assembly line. It was set to feature Donald Glover portraying a younger Lando Calrissian, delving into his escapades following the events of Solo: A Star Wars Story and preceding his reunion with Han in The Empire Strikes Back.
The series was fortunate to be rescued and transformed into a theatrical feature, thanks to Stephen Glover, brother of Donald Glover. The two are currently heavily involved in the project’s development, with Donald reprising his role as the young smooth-talking scoundrel.
However, as the film moves forward, new details about the series are emerging. In a recent interview with Collider, showrunner Justin Simien expressed his disappointment that his vision for Lando never came to fruition despite the series’ advanced development.
JUSTIN SIMIEN
“It was pretty developed. Yeah, there was a Bible, there was concept art, there were scripts, but it just wasn’t meant to be. I get over it. I’m in therapy a lot.
For me, the answer is that you have to really face it. It is true grief. I’ve never had a child, I’ve never lost a child, but it’s what I imagine that pain might be like. You pour so much of your heart and soul into something, but ultimately, you don’t have control over whether it lives or dies, and it is a true grieving process.
For me, it has to be done pretty straight on like, ‘I am in grief. I do not feel good.’ I have to let myself feel those feelings. There’s so much that I experience that I get to keep forever and take into the next project. I can’t obviously take the storyline or the IP or the characters, but there’s so much more that I got, as a maker, and that’s mine. Sorry, it’s too late, you can’t take that part back.”
RELEASE
It’s disappointing that Simien’s plans for Lando Calrissian won’t happen. But it’s comforting that the Glover brothers are carrying on the character’s legacy. Donald Glover’s performance as Lando in Solo was delightful, and fans are excited to see more of the charming rogue’s adventures. With new opportunities for the character to be explored, there’s endless potential for Lando.
As of now, the details of the film are being kept under wraps. Only the naughty minions at Lucasfilm have infinite knowledge of the Force. But hopefully, new information about the film will soon be available. As soon as we hear more, we’ll update the website. So, hit that subscribe button and never miss a story from Future of the Force.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
I’m still glad a movie is being made with Glover, and it might match Solo better since the first was a movie vs a series. I wonder if Alden Ehrenreich will be in it, for at least a cameo.