The "Star Wars" franchise continues to grow with "Star Wars Episode VIII" launching next year and "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" premiering this December. A spin-off film focusing on a young Han Solo, previously played by Harrison Ford, is also in development, and actor Donald Glover has now been cast as a young Lando Calrissian.
According to the series' official website, Glover will be portraying the infamous space pirate who worked with Han Solo years before they became involved with the Rebel Alliance. Unfortunately, the announcement still does not reveal the official title of the film or what its plot may focus on.
Lando was previously played by Billy Dee Williams in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." Williams reprised his role for the animated series "Star Wars Rebels" and the "Star Wars Battlefront" video game, particularly for the Bespin DLC.
Glover is known for his roles as Derrick in "The To Do List" and as Andre in "Magic Mike XXL." Glover also played Rich Purnell in the Academy Award-nominated film "The Martian," and he voiced Miles Morales or the new Spider-Man in the "Ultimate Spider-Man" cartoon series.
According to a report from Cinema Blend, it is widely speculated that the movie will focus on a young Han Solo, played by Alden Ehrenreich, as he wins the Millenium Falcon from Lando Calrissian. In "The Empire Strikes Back," it was revealed that Han Solo won the space ship in a card game, and the spin-off may reveal how these events unfolded and how the two pirates became close friends.
It may also reveal how Solo recruited Chewbacca to be his co-pilot or how Han famously made the Kessel run that allowed him to escape Stormtroopers chasing him down.
The Han Solo spin-off will be directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, and it is set to premiere on May 25, 2018.
