Donald Glover Wants ‘Star Wars’ To Be “Fun” Through ‘Lando’ Film
Donald Glover, who will soon be spearheading the Disney and Lucasfilm venture Lando, wants to inject the Star Wars universe with “fun,” saying the franchise can be “way too serious” at times.
“I just want it to be fun,” the actor-rapper told the Wall Street Journal in a recent video interview. “As a Star Wars fan myself, I think it’s important that there’s just — there just needs to be more fun being had.”
More from Deadline
James Earl Jones Dies: Revered 'Field Of Dreams' Star, Darth Vader Voice & Broadway Regular Was 93
Donald Glover Postpones Remainder Of Childish Gambino Tour To Focus On His Physical Health
The Atlanta star-producer continued, referencing the strife present in the galaxy, “It’s very hard to have fun right now. It’s tough because there are very serious things happening. Those are the only things that connect us, weirdly, so I get why things are serious but part of the human experience, I believe, is we have a responsibility to have an enjoyment, and I just feel like we’re lacking in that department.”
Glover, who recently announced he will soon step away from the Childish Gambino namesake and postponed his tour due to physical health concerns, is set to co-write the film alongside his brother and collaborator Stephen Glover. The duo replaced Justin Simien in the role, after which it was revealed that the project would be continuing as a silver screen release instead of a planned Disney+ series.
“Star Wars, I love it, but sometimes it be super serious, sometimes it be like way too serious and everything that has to do with the Skywalkers is so serious,” Glover continued, chuckling.
The star of Prime Video’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith will be portraying a young version of Lando Calrissian, a role he first played in 2018’s box-office bomb Solo: A Star Wars Story. Despite the film’s lackluster commercial success, Glover’s Lando — which was first originated by Billy Dee Williams in 1980’s Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, who appeared later in 1983’s Return of the Jedi and 2019’s The Rise of the Skywalker — ended up as a fan favorite.
“Lando, I think the best part about him, is he’s a scoundrel,” Glover explained. “And I feel like people can relate to that and he’s probably like, ‘Man, this war is wack. I need money,’ which I feel like everyone can relate to.”
Best of Deadline
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.