It's been a long time since we last saw Lando Calrissian on the big screen, and while it remains to be seen if Billy Dee Williams will be brought back to reprise the character for Star Wars: Episode IX, we're only a couple weeks away from seeing Donald Glover portray a younger Lando in Solo: A Star Wars Story. From what's been shown in the Solo previews so far, Glover has Lando's smooth personality down to a t, and this is best exemplified in a new clip for the movie, which shows Han and Lando's first meeting.
Aside from being charming and a great dresser, Lando Calrissian is known for being an excellent gambler, so seeing him at a sabacc table is like seeing an athlete on the playing field. Little does Lando know, however, that this sabacc game is going to be different from the rest, as he'll meet Han Solo, a smuggler on the rise in a galaxy far, far away's criminal underworld who will one day become one of his closest friends. For now, though, Lando is keeping it cool as the cards are being dealt, casually telling Han that every story he's heard about him is true. I find that difficult to believe, but Donald Glover's Lando does a good job of selling that pitch.
Those familiar with the deeper Star Wars lore also know that Han Solo and Lando Calrissian don't just meet while playing sabacc; Han also wins the Millennium Falcon from Lando when playing the card game. It's unclear from this Solo: A Star Wars Story clip if Han will win the Falcon from Lando in this particular round of sabacc or if that will happen later in the movie. I suspect it's the latter option given that some of the Solo previews have shown Lando in the captain's chair. Once the main action is finished, he and Han will may sit back down and deal out the sabacc cards, and that's when Han will finally obtain his trusty ship.
Like Han Solo, the Lando Calrissian we'll see in Solo: A Star Wars Story hasn't quite grown into the man we meet in The Empire Strikes Back who's running Cloud City and trying to be a respectable businessman... well, mostly respectable. At this point in his career, Lando's running around with L3-37 and working to prove himself among the galaxy's criminals. He'll make significant progress with that when he joins Han, Chewbacca and the rest of Tobias Beckett's crew in pulling off a dangerous heist.
Solo: A Star Wars Story blasts its way into theaters on May 25, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for continuing coverage about the movie in these remaining weeks. In the meantime, you can find out what other Star Wars movies are in development with our handy guide, as well as look through our 2018 release schedule to learn what other movies are coming out this year.
