Lando Needs a Spinoff Movie More Than Han Solo Deserves a Sequel

WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Solo: A Star Wars Story, in theaters now.

As much as Alden Ehrenreich's Han is front and center in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Donald Glover's Lando Calrissian is the real scene-stealer, imbuing the suave, fan-favorite character with the charm that evokes Billy Dee Williams' performance in The Empire Strikes Back. However, director Ron Howard's film provides more insight into the man beneath the cape -- a lover, a gambler and, yes, a fighter. More so, Glover's portrayal highlights the unscrupulous nature of Lando, whetting our appetites for him to receive a movie of his own.

Sure, Solo sets up a sequel, but honestly, we've gotten a lot of Han's backstory already. Lucasfilm should prioritize a project the studio has already indicated is a possibility -- because fans want to see more of Glover's dashing rogue, sooner rather than later.

Solo is primarily Han's backstory, of course, spanning from his youth on Corellia to his service in the Imperial Navy to his induction into Tobias Beckett's band of miscreants. A sequel could be fun, especially with Darth Maul confirmed as the figure behind the criminal organization Crimson Dawn, but failing to follow through on the promise of Lando's arc would be almost tragic.

While Lando's role is relatively brief in Solo, it perfectly illustrates the depth of the character and the breadth of his journeys. A young Lando charms audiences from the onset, as a cheater who has no allegiances, and as someone willing to sell his services to the highest bidder. He's important in helping Han to realize he's cut out for the life of a criminal, while representing a figure who can't be trusted. His screen time, sadly, is limited but it's pivotal to the film's big heist, to steal the superfuel -- coaxium -- Han owes Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany).

Afterward, when Han runs into enemies determined to steal their payload, Lando does what's expected: He looks out for himself and takes off in the Millennium Falcon, abandoning his cohorts in the process. The two meet up again at the end of Solo, only this time Han is wise to Lando's tricks at the sabacc table, and finally wins the Falcon. He and Chewbacca then head off for Tatooine to link up with a gang, presumably Jabba the Hutt's.

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There's so much potential for a Lando spinoff stemming from this ending. With Han off on his own, inching closer to the smuggler introduced in 1977's A New Hope, there's room to explore how Lando fared after losing his most prized possession. Glover has already said he'd love to tell an action-comedy akin to "Frasier in Space," with Lando as "a high-end guy" with a taste for the finer things. However, he's someone who stole and cheated his way to the lap of luxury.

The more intriguing story, though, may be Lando's journey through the galaxy's criminal underworld, hustling and amassing wealth, not to mention debt and enemies (for instance, there's the matter of squaring certain deals with Dryden's organization). In short, Lando often finds himself in a predicament in which he's pursued by all sides, including the Galactic Empire. That's perhaps why Glover also indicated that Lando's solo adventures could be similar to Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can, in which a talented young con artist is pursued by an FBI agent.

"He's just, like, I think charismatic, and people are like, 'You know what, you should own this city. You should own Cloud City,'" Glover said, "like that kind of thing, or like winning. So I think it would be just nice to see, like, 'Oh, like I'm a general, and now I'm mad at this hotel, and then now, I'm just like ...' I think that will be just funny but also cool to see like how far charm gets you. Almost like a Catch Me If You Can. A space Catch Me If You Can."

A story like that would surely have him crossing paths with Han again, further hyping a Solo sequel in which both men could continue their uneasy alliance in order to swindle, steal and smuggle as Crimson Dawn, or the Empire, pursues. Most importantly, a Lando spinoff could explain how Lando became the administrator of Cloud City, as we first met him in The Empire Strikes Back. It's the ultimate rags-to-riches story, after all, and knowing his personality, chances are he didn't get the position by playing fair and square.

As it stands, Solo reminds fans that other Star Wars characters, like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Boba Fett, deserve another spotlight. But if we really want a scandalous trip to bring fresh perspective to the galaxy, Lando's story needs to continue.

Directed by Ron Howard from a script by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan, Solo: A Star Wars Story stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Emilia Clarke as Qi’ra and Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca. They’re joined by Thandie Newton as Val, Phoebe Waller-Bridge as L3-37, Paul Bettany as Dryden Vos and Woody Harrelson as Tobias Beckett.