Billy Dee Williams in 'Return Of The Jedi'
[Photo by: Lucasfilm]

Billy Dee Williams to return as Lando Calrissian in 'Star Wars'

While Donald Glover took the reins as Star Wars‘ Lando Calrissian in this year’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, it looks like the role’s originator will be returning to a galaxy far, far away. Yep, Billy Dee Williams is returning as Lando for Episode IX!

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Per The Hollywood Reporter, whispers of Williams’ Lando reprisal came to head this week when the 81-year-old actor “bowed out of an upcoming sci-fi and pop culture convention citing a conflict” with a seemingly Star Wars-related film shoot.

That’s right, it appears that Mr. Willims is indeed slated to reclaim his role as Calrissian. Production on Episode IX, the as-yet-untitled third film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy to be directed by J. J. Abrams, is set to begin this summer.

Calrissian — the smuggler turned administrator who may or may not have betrayed Han Solo and crew, depending on how you look at it — could have even turned up in last year’s The Last Jedi, if only director Rian Johnson could’ve fit him in.

“He’s not in the [The Last Jedi] and it was never really something that came up,” Johnson told Entertainment Weekly. “I loved that character. It would have been fun to see him but it’s just not something that ever really had a place in the story.”

It’s amazing to think we last saw Williams onscreen as Lando in Return Of The Jedi, the actor reprising his portrayal from 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back. Although, in 2014, he did voice the classic Star Wars character for The Lego Movie.

Are you stoked to see Billy Dee Williams finally make a comeback as Lando Calrissian in the upcoming Episode IX? Who’s your favorite character in the Star Wars universe? Sound off in the comments and let us know. It works every time!

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