Donald and Stephen Glover to Write ‘Lando’ Series for Disney+ as Justin Simien Exits
Donald Glover and his brother Stephen Glover are attached to write the Disney+ Star Wars limited series “Lando,” based on the iconic Lando Calrissian character, IndieWire has confirmed.
“Haunted Mansion” director and “Dear White People” creator Justin Simien was previously attached to write “Lando” back when it was first revealed to be in the works in 2020, but Simien is no longer involved with the project.
More from IndieWire
Glover portrayed a young Lando in “Solo: A Star Wars Story” in 2018, taking over from Billy Dee Williams, who originated the role in “The Empire Strikes Back.” The “Atlanta” creator has been vocal about returning to the role, but it’s unclear at present if he’s attached to star.
“We’re talking about it. That’s as much as I can say without Kathleen Kennedy hunting me down,” Glover said to GQ back in April. “I would love to play Lando again. … It’s a fun time, being him. It just has to be the right way to do it.”
According to Above the Line, which first reported the news, the Glovers’ involvement has been top secret for months, joining the project before the writers’ strike began. That’s despite Simien being asked recently — on multiple occasions — whether he was still attached to “Lando.”
“I am attached, I think, but I don’t really know. (Laughs.) The last thing I was told was that they loved it but needed to put a pin in it until they could figure out everybody’s availability,” he told THR this week. “I haven’t investigated further, but I’m not an idiot. I’m not alone in that experience. But I can’t help but wonder, ‘Am I too Black? Am I too queer? And people just don’t want to say that?’ Because it seems like I develop things with these companies and they just never happen for reasons unknown.”
“Solo” grossed just $392 million worldwide, a disappointment for a Star Wars film, but it hasn’t slowed the number of Star Wars series that have done gangbusters on Disney+.
Glover and Stephen Glover’s “Atlanta” ended in 2022, and the brothers currently have an overall deal with Amazon Studios, where Glover was a co-creator on the Dominique Fishback-led series “Swarm.”
Best of IndieWire
Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
