Star War’s Lando Calrissian will live in the sequel trilogy as actor Billy Dee Williams is slated to reprise the role in the upcoming Star Wars Episode IX, The Hollywood Reporter announced Monday evening.
Anonymous sources confirmed to the outlet that Mr. Williams is joining the cast following a surge of rumors after the actor dropped out of an event for a conflicting movie schedule.
The iconic Lando Calrissian debuted in the second movie in the original trilogy, “Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.”
Mr. Williams last portrayed the character in “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.”
The character of Lando Calrissian, a fan favorite, has resurfaced in recent Star Wars content.
Fans can read about his first interactions with Ben Solo, during the years set between the original and sequel trilogies in “Last Shot.” The novel is tied to Lucasfilm’s most recent release “Solo: A Star Wars Story” that features on Han Solo’s origins and early friendship with Lando.
Another major addition to the cast was announced on Friday when Variety announced Kerri Russell was also cast in the latest installment. While most of the details of her role are unknown, Variety reports that it calls for “action-heavy fight scenes.”
The untitled “Episode IX” begins filming at the end of July. Currently, it’s expected to be released in December 2019.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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