Star Wars actor Billy Dee Williams has said he'd return to the franchise for "a lot of money" and, as Disney eyes a Donald Glover-led spin-off film, declared: "there's only one Lando."
Speaking to the Radio Times, Williams said he's a big fan of Glover, who played a young Lando in Solo: A Star Wars Story and is set to lead a new film as the character, but insisted his version is the only real one.
"He's part of a whole new generation. He'll create whatever he needs to create, to bring appeal to the character," Williams said of Glover. "He's a very talented young lad and very imaginative. I mean, it's not for me to say what he should do with the character at this stage. I took care of the 20th century, now he’s got to take care of the 21st.
"I had a nice little lunch with him. He's a delightful young man. Extremely talented. But I don't see him... I mean, when it comes to Lando Calrissian, there's only one Lando Calrissian. I created that character."
Williams first played Lando in 1980's Star Wars: Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back and returned for the Sequel Trilogy in 2019's Episode 9 - The Rise of Skywalker. While this film was universally panned, Williams made clear he'd still return to the franchise. "Pay me a lot of money and I'll sell my soul," he said.
As for Glover's next outing as Lando, a TV series turned film has faded in and out of existence at Disney for years, though is apparently still in development. Lando was announced in December 2020 but immediately went quiet as Disney spent more time on the likes of The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy told IGN in April 2023 the show was definitely still happening, but a few months later its writer said he has "no idea what's going on with it" before promptly being replaced by Glover and his brother Stephen. IGN learned in September 2023 the show had been changed to a film.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
