The Disney+ Star Wars Movie That Will Save The Franchise

Getting this Lando project off the ground has proven to be even harder than completing the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. Justin Simien was previously attached as showrunner, but he exited the series after Disney scrapped the show. Now, Donald Glover and his brother Stephen Glover have revived the project as a Lando movie, and it is confirmed that Glover will be reprising the role that he played in the surprisingly great Solo: A Star Wars Movie.

For some (including ourselves), it was already reassuring that the talented Glover would be returning to the franchise, and the fact that the scrapped show is being reimagined as a Lando movie is equally assuring because (sorry to say it, Disney), Star Wars belongs on the big screen.

The writing should be solid as well…after all, Glover got his Hollywood start writing for 30 Rock, and more recently, he has written for two of his own amazing shows: Atlanta and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. However, the single most reassuring thing about this upcoming project is Glover’s insistence that the franchise needs to be fun again.

The Original Trilogy was filled with fun moments, from the banter between Luke Skywalker and Han Solo to the misadventures of cute critters like Jawas and Ewoks. The Prequel Trilogy, while very flawed, also had fun humor courtesy of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, and fans later managed to turn even serious moments into hilarious memes. But as Glover is here to remind us, the Lando movie needs to be fun because that is one quality the Disney era of Star Wars is severely lacking.

Most of the Sequel Trilogy’s attempts to be funny fell flat, including Luke Skywalker getting disgusting green milk in his beard and Poe Dameron literally cracking “your mama” jokes with a First Order commander.

The Mandalorian admittedly got some great humor out of Grogu, but most Disney+ series have alternated between boring (like The Book of Boba Fett turning the titular warrior into a mentally checked-out manager) and grim (like the answer to The Acolyte’s big mystery being “the Jedi are lying scumbags”). “We have a responsibility to have enjoyment,” Glover said, and when it comes to Star Wars, “we’re lacking in that department.”

Amusingly enough, the star and co-writer of the Lando movie wasn’t afraid to point out specific problems with the franchise. “Everything that has to do with the Skywalkers, is like so serious,” he said. He sees Lando Calrissian as an antidote to this: “the best part about him is he’s a scoundrel, you know, and I feel like people can relate to that.”

The former Community star also pointed out that Lando’s views and goals are more relatable to general audiences than, say, the views and goals of heroic Jedi Knights. “He’s probably like, ‘Man, this war is wack. I need money,’ which I feel everyone can relate to.”

Ironically, “I need money” has seemingly been the prevailing view of Disney in recent years, which is likely why we have had a proliferation of Star Wars content as serious as it is mediocre.

Donald Glover is ready to bring the fun back with his Lando movie, and at this point, we’re ready to go all-in on his creative vision. The character might have famously lost the Millennium Falcon, but it looks like he’s now set to win something even better: the adoration of fans who, like him, are clamoring to finally find some fun in a galaxy far, far away.

Source: IndieWire