Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson has confirmed that Lando Calrissian won’t be returning to make a surprise cameo in the Sci-Fi movie.
After the first trailer for The Last Jedi displayed similarities to The Empire Strikes Back, fans began speculating about the possibility of an unexpected appearance from Lando Calrissian, the smuggler and close friend of Han Solo played by Billy Dee Williams.
But while Donald Glover will play a young iteration of the character in the forthcoming Han Solo movie, Rian Johnson has now thrown definitive cold water over a Calrissian cameo in The Last Jedi.
“He’s not in the film and it was never really something that came up. I mean, 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”, Johnson explained to EntertainmentWeekly.
However, Williams is firmly up for reprising the role in future.
“Billy respects the studio and all involved in the decision but would be happy to be in any future Star Wars film if asked”, his manager confirmed.
Meanwhile, Star Wars fans were recently given one of their biggest looks at the Last Jedi to date after being introduced to the Vulptex, the crystal wolves that dwell on the salt plains of Crait, a planet that formerly acted as a hideout for the Rebel Alliance.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is released on December 15.