Donald Glover is having one Hell of a moment. Not only is his FX series Atlanta one of the best shows on TV, but the comedian has landed a supporting slot in Marvel's Spider-Man: Homecoming. He was always a fan favorite but it reached a new peak a few months ago when his name surfaced as the frontrunner to play Lando Calrissian in the young Han Solo spinoff being directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Today, he's no longer the frontrunner, he's landed the gig officially.
Disney and Lucasfilm set it in stone that Glover will take on the iconic role of Lando, in what will be a story that explores his "formative years" according to the official press release...
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Lucasfilm announced today that Donald Glover, an acclaimed actor, award-winning writer, and Grammy-nominated artist, will be playing the part of Lando Calrissian in the still-untitled Han SoloStar Wars film, helmed by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Glover will join Alden Ehrenreich — previously cast as Han Solo — in bringing two iconic Star Wars characters back to the big screen, but at a time in their lives previously unexplored. This new film depicts Lando in his formative years as a scoundrel on the rise in the galaxy’s underworld — years before the events involving Han, Leia, and Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back and his rise to Rebel hero in Return of the Jedi.
“We’re so lucky to have an artist as talented as Donald join us,” said Lord and Miller. “These are big shoes to fill, and an even bigger cape, and this one fits him perfectly, which will save us money on alterations. Also, we’d like to publicly apologize to Donald for ruining Comic-Con for him forever.”
Glover is best known for creating and starring in the critically acclaimed FX series Atlanta (which had the highest premiere numbers for any basic cable comedy show since 2013), as well as for starring in four seasons of the showCommunity, and for his Grammy-nominated album Because the Internet, performed under the name Childish Gambino. In addition, Glover appeared in the Academy Award-nominated The Martian, and will be seen in the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming.
So can Childish Gambino bring the appropriate charm to one of film's greatest ladies' men? Billy Dee Williams left some huge shoes to fill, and who knows? Maybe this will lead to Glover scoring a phat Colt 45 deal?
The untitled Han Solo spinoff will hit theaters some time in 2018. But before then it needs a female lead, and the contenders we're aware of include Zoe Kravitz, Naomi Scott, and Tessa Thompson.
