Original Lando writer and showrunner Justin Simien wasn’t told he was being replaced and only found out thanks to social media.
During an Instagram Stories post, Simien responded to an article confirming that Donald Glover and his brother Stephen would take over as writers on the upcoming Star Wars TV show.
“This is me finding out [right now],” he said. “Donald is a national treasure. Glad he and Stephen get to carry the character forward their way. Can’t wait to see. Rooting for everybody Black.”
It’s not exactly the best way to find out, especially with the ongoing WGA writers’ strike continuing to seek better treatment for Hollywood’s writers. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly a huge surprise. Star Wars fans have been worried about the upcoming Lando show for a while, with little news from Lucasfilm about the project.
Simien himself recently said he had “no idea” what was going on with it, casting doubts on whether or not the show would even go ahead. “I certainly poured my heart and spent a lot of time working with them to put together a really great show,” he explained. “It feels like everybody loves it, and, I was told we had to put a pause on it because of scheduling, and the next update I got [was in 2020], some years ago. So, I don’t know, I have no idea what’s going on with it.”
Lando was originally announced in December 2020 but little was heard since. Disney seemingly refocussed on The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and The Book of Boba Fett, with the Solo spin-off falling by the wayside. This packed roster of shows may be why Lando was bumped further down the schedule.
Although Lucasfilm has yet to confirm whether Donald Glover will return to the role of Lando, it seems like a given with him co-writing the show. Earlier this year, Glover confirmed he and Disney were in talks for his return.
“Lando is definitely somebody I’d like to hang out with,” said Glover. “I mean we’re talking about it. That’s as much as I can say, you know, without [Lucasfilm president] Kathleen Kennedy hunting me down.”
The project is currently on the back burner once again amid the ongoing WGA strike.
Want to read more about Star Wars? Check out the future of Star Wars with Kathleen Kennedy as well as the surprising story behind the planet Scarif’s name in Star Wars: Rogue One.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.