now ain't that cool news

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-billy-dee-williams-returning-as-lando-calrissian-xi-1125818

Billy Dee Williams is returning to a galaxy far, far away.

The actor, who famously played the galactic gambler Lando Calrissian, will reprise the role for Star Wars: Episode IX, the next Star Wars installment from Lucasfilm.

Chatter about Williams joining the production, which is set to begin later this summer, increased in recent days when the actor bowed out of an upcoming sci-fi and pop culture convention citing a conflict with a movie schedule. Sources confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Williams will indeed be returning to the Star Wars film franchise for the first time since 1983’s Return of the Jedi. The Lando Calrissian character made his suave debut in 1980's Empire Strikes Back.

Williams has in recent years returned to the role that fuels his appearances on the convention circuit, voicing Calrissian in various cartoon series and video games.

The character is one of the more popular personages in the Star Wars universe and appeared in a major way in this year’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. Donald Glover slipped on the cape to play a younger Calrissian.

Episode IX is being directed by J.J. Abrams and will reunite Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver, among others. Keri Russell is one of the new additions to the cast. The film is set to open Dec. 20, 2019.

Billy Dee Williams

The best news Star Wars has had in 2018.

Should have been at the end of Last Jedi, saving princess leia and the rest of the rebels

I'm giving up on the shit storm franchise Star Wars. They will get none of my money until they make movies as good as the originals. They made Skywalker into a complete pussy in the last film and sick of all the SJW bullshit.

Great news.....but I hope they don't kill him off

Goddess4Real said:

Great news.....but I hope they don't kill him off

He's the only one left right? Well... him and Chewie.

Wait.... it's a prequel right? Like Rouge 1?

paintedlady said:

Wait.... it's a prequel right? Like Rouge 1?

no it is Ep IX...

paintedlady said:

Goddess4Real said:

Great news.....but I hope they don't kill him off

He's the only one left right? Well... him and Chewie.

and C-3PO and

Goddess4Real said:

paintedlady said:

He's the only one left right? Well... him and Chewie.

and C-3PO and

Mark Hamill said something I took as he was going to be in IX. We do not know if he his dead... that could have been a 2nd projection.

kpowers said:

Should have been at the end of Last Jedi, saving princess leia and the rest of the rebels

You know, I honestly thought he was going to answer that distress call.

My guess is he arrives in the movie right on the tail end of the rescue in VIII.

Tired of all the original characters being killed off--done.

namepeace said:

kpowers said:

Should have been at the end of Last Jedi, saving princess leia and the rest of the rebels

You know, I honestly thought he was going to answer that distress call.

My guess is he arrives in the movie right on the tail end of the rescue in VIII.

I think a lot more people would have liked Last Jedi better if that had happen, plus kinda makes sense since they had Luke Skywalker come in at the end of the Force Awakens. Plus it leads into Solo. What a missed opportunity, oh well.

[Edited 7/13/18 12:59pm]

OnlyNDaUsa said:

paintedlady said:

Wait.... it's a prequel right? Like Rouge 1?

no it is Ep IX...

well, I hope he is up for lots of action sequences! He's old af now.