Not so long ago, in movie theaters far and wide, Solo: A Star Wars Story was seen as a box office disappointment. Despite having the charm of Donald Glover as Lando Calrisian and the cocky heroics of Alden Ehrenreich’s Han Solo, the movie just didn’t perform as people had hoped. Years later, the Ron Howard directed picture has been getting the love it deserves, and the long in development Lando series is now being turned into a movie. While this is great news, I have so many Solo questions I have to ask as a result.
Let’s start with the most recent news that inspired such queries, as reported via Variety. Apparently the continued development of what was initially announced as a Disney+ series has now been confirmed by Lucasfilm as pivoting towards a feature film. At the moment, negotiations are in a predictable hold, as per the conditions of the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA twin strike actions.
At the same time it’s not that big of a surprise, as it was revealed that the Glover brothers took over Lando writing duties. So when that decision was made, it was probably with the shift into a Star Wars feature film experience in mind. Now that we know Donald and Stephen Glover will be reworking this midquel adventure into a cinematic experience, there are a couple questions I have to ask.
Will Donald Glover Return To Star In Lando?
Admittedly it’s been a couple of years since Donald Glover last stepped into the iconic role originated by Billy Dee Williams in The Empire Strikes Back. In sources cited by the report breaking this news, Glover himself sounds excited by the possibility, but unsure due to the time that has passed since Solo: A Star Wars Story’s release. So this question is pretty important, especially as it leads to another big concern.
When Will Lando Take Place On The Star Wars Timeline?
Obviously Lando is a Star Wars spinoff with the focus being on the future intergalactic war hero and his time as a smooth criminal. That seems to pose this film as a pseudo-sequel to Solo, rather than an all out return to that storyline altogether. Which begs the question, when exactly is Lando going to take place on the timeline of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows? The answer could determine whether or not Donald Glover does return on screen, or hands the torch off to someone else, which could happen with too much of a time jump in either direction.
What Other Solo Characters Could We See in Lando?
Something that’s just as important to think about is whether or not other friends and acquaintances of Lando’s will be around for this next ride. Solo: A Star Wars Story’s ending did leave some pretty big threads unresolved, and it even blatantly set up the next ride for Lando Calrisian and Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) in the process. As Han clearly has a future connected to Lando, and other stories have followed Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) and her time with the Crimson Dawn, could we see or even hear reference to these previous key players?
Could Lando Lead To The Resurrection Of Solo 2?
Naturally, this line of questioning was always going to end with one whopper of a question: could fans hopes for Solo 2 be realized if Lando is successful? I’d be a fool if I didn’t ask if Donald and Stephen Glover’s work could be a stepping stone to such delights, as it’s been a hot topic of discussion time and again. Depending on the proximity and connections this story has to Solo: A Star Wars Story, there could be a chance that the potential sequel could be resurrected in some shape.
It's naturally still very early to be thinking about what Lando could do for the Star Wars universe. But that's not going to stop me, or anyone else for that matter, when it comes to asking questions. And if you want to dig for some other pressing matters you'd like to see addressed, check out Solo: A Star Wars Story, which is currently streaming through access to a Disney+ subscription.
