Disney+'s Lando Series - What We Know So Far

Disney Investor Day 2020 was a raging success. No doubt shareholders in the company are confident that the studio will be able to remain profitable for years to come, and fans of Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars had plenty to sink their teeth into with the myriad of projects that were announced. 

Kathleen Kennedy offered a glimpse into what we can expect for the future of Lucasfilm, including continual progress on Indiana Jones 5 as well as a total of ten Star Wars television series that will stream exclusively on Disney+, all of which are expected to come out in the next few years. This includes a series centered on Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), who was first introduced on The Mandalorian, as well as a new show focused on Lando Calrissian. 

While the show is still in early development, that won't stop us from speculating when we might see the series as well as who could star in it. Let's take a look at what we know so far about the special event series from Disney+: Star Wars: Lando. 

Based on a tweet from the Star Wars Twitter account, fans shouldn't expect to see the adventures of Lando Calrissian on Disney+ anytime soon. The message reads, "The galaxy's favorite scoundrel, Lando Calrissian, will return in Lando, a brand-new event series for @DisneyPlus. Justin Simien (@JSim07) is in the early stages of developing the project." Simien's involvement is incredibly exciting as he's the writer, director, and producer for such films as Dear White People and Bad Hair. However, the revelation that the project is in its "early stages" is a good indicator that it will be a while until cameras actually start rolling and even longer until we see it drop on Disney+. 

Considering that many of Investor Day's offerings showed what movies and TV shows we'd get up until 2023, it's likely we can expect the first season to drop by that year at the latest. Still, we'll just need to wait until more details become available. 

The last time we saw Lando Calrissian was in Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. Billy Dee Williams reprised the role he made famous in The Empire Strikes Back as the smooth-talking con artist and original owner of the Millennium Falcon. Prior to that, a younger Lando, played by Donald Glover, was seen in the feature-length spin-off, Solo: A Star Wars Story. 

As of right now, it's unclear when exactly Star Wars: Lando would take place, so it's unclear if Williams or Glover would portray the character. There's also the possibility we'll see another time period of Lando's life with another actor entirely taking on the role. 

Other characters are still a mystery, but it's possible we'll see individuals affiliated with Calrissian Enterprises, Lando's company that specializes in making droids. In the event the series follows Lando's time in the Resistance, then we could be introduced to new freedom fighters who are trying to bring order to the galaxy.

Considering that the Disney+ project is still in its early stages, there's no word yet on what Star Wars: Lando could be about. The character has a rich history in Star Wars continuity, from his days as a smuggler to becoming a prominent member of the Resistance. The series would follow either of these distinct periods of his life, and fans would likely be ecstatic. 

One area the TV series could draw inspiration from is The Lando Calrissian Adventures, a trilogy of novels released in 1983 and set years before Lando lost the Millennium Falcon to Han Solo. The trilogy chronicles his days as a smuggler while he's accompanied by his trusty droid, Vuffi Raa, as he battles against the Sorcerers of Tund. This would allow the series to act as a prequel of sorts to Solo: A Star Wars Story, leading up to when he finally meets Han.

Considering that the show is being billed as an "event series," there's a good chance this will be a single season of episodes, so whatever story they have in mind will need to be wrapped up relatively quickly. No matter what direction the series takes, it'll just be amazing to see the smoothest guy in the galaxy get more screen time.