The massive wave of backlash that met both The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, coupled with the critical acclaim and Baby Yoda phenomenon that greeted The Mandalorian, seems to indicate that for the time being at least, the immediate future of Star Wars lies on the small screen.
With the Skywalker Saga now complete, Disney and Lucasfilm find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to movies set in a galaxy far, far away. The franchise is facing more criticism than it ever has before, with constant rumors of behind-the-scenes turmoil and a worryingly high amount of filmmaker turnover disenfranchising a lot of fans, with Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy shouldering much of the blame.
Outside of The Mandalorian, the entire live-action arm of Star Wars appears to be in disarray, with Obi-Wan Kenobi recently undergoing a huge creative reshuffle, while Cassian Andor appears to have moved no further forward in months. Despite this, the latest rumors indicate that more Disney Plus spinoffs are in development at the Mouse House, including two for Lando Calrissian.
According to YouTuber Grace Randolph, not only is the Solo: A Star Wars Story follow-up with Donald Glover still on the table, but the Mouse House are also looking to capitalize on Billy Dee Williams’ well-received cameo in The Rise of Skywalker by making him the subject of a limited series that sees him assist minor character Jannah in finding out about her past. Furthermore, in the show that would star Glover, it’s said that Darth Maul and Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra might feature as well.
While these rumors should obviously be taken with a pinch of salt, two competing Lando Calrissian series seems like overkill. Sure, fans would no doubt be happy to see Glover reprise his scene-stealing role in a project that gives fans the Solo sequel they were demanding in a roundabout way. But no matter how beloved Williams’ take on the character has been, wringing an entire season of television from a brief scene in a divisive movie that never officially confirmed onscreen whether Jannah is his daughter or not has more than a hint of desperate fan service about it.
