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Landonis Balthazar "Lando" Calrissian III is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a sto ...
'' (1980) as an old friend of
Han Solo Han Solo is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. The character first appeared in the 1977 film ''Star Wars'' portrayed by Harrison Ford, who reprised his role in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) and '' ...
and the administrator of the floating Cloud City on the gas planet
Bespin The fictional universe of the '' Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disne ...
. Prior to the events of the film, Lando made a career as a gambler, con artist, playboy, mining engineer, and businessman, and was the
owner Ownership is the state or fact of legal possession and control over property, which may be any asset, tangible or intangible. Ownership can involve multiple rights, collectively referred to as title, which may be separated and held by different ...
of the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the movie ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in ''The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), '' The Empire Strikes Ba ...
'' until losing the ship to Han in a bet. In the film, when Cloud City is threatened by the
Galactic Empire Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fantasy and science fiction, particularly in works known as ' space operas'. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background or written about the growth and/or decline of ...
, Lando reluctantly betrays Han to
Darth Vader Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...
, but later redeems himself by helping Han's friends escape from the Empire. In ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who w ...
'' (1983), after becoming a general in the
Rebel Alliance The Alliance to Restore the Republic (colloquial: Rebel Alliance; the Rebellion; the Alliance; or the Rebels) is a fictional stateless interstellar coalition of republican dissidents, imperial defectors, revolutionary factions and anti-imperial ...
, Lando helps rescue Han from
Jabba the Hutt Jabba Desilijic Tiure, more commonly known as Jabba the Hutt, is a Character (arts), fictional character and minor antagonist in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Created by George Lucas, Jabba is voiced by Larry Ward with several puppeteers inside a ...
and leads the attack on the second
Death Star The Death Star is a fictional space station and superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire, the Death Star is capable of annihilating entire planets into rubble, and serves to ...
. Lando is portrayed by
Billy Dee Williams William December Williams Jr. (born April 6, 1937) is an American actor. He appeared as Lando Calrissian in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, first in the early 1980s for ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) and ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), and thirt ...
in the original trilogy, as well as the sequel film ''
The Rise of Skywalker ''Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker'') is a 2019 American epic space opera film produced, , and directed by J. J. Abrams. Produced by Lucasfilm and Abrams' production ...
'' (2019), marking one of the longest intervals between portrayals of a character by the same actor in American film history.
Donald Glover Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (; born September 25, 1983), also known by his stage name Childish Gambino (), is an American entertainer, writer, director, and producer. After working in Derrick Comedy while studying at New York University, Glo ...
portrayed a younger version of the character in the standalone film '' Solo: A Star Wars Story'' (2018), which depicts the beginnings of his friendship with Han. Lando also appears frequently in the ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe of novels, comic books and video games, including a series of novels focused on him. The character has become one of the franchise's most popular, with Billy Dee Williams' performance receiving praise. Donald Glover's performance in ''Solo'' was also well received, being hailed as one of the film's highlights. Williams was nominated for the
Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor The following is a list of Saturn Award winners and nominees for Best Supporting Actor (in a film). Burgess Meredith, Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis are the only actors that have won the award twice, while only Javier Bardem and Heath Ledger have wo ...
twice for his performances in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi''.


Appearances


Film

Lando is portrayed by
Billy Dee Williams William December Williams Jr. (born April 6, 1937) is an American actor. He appeared as Lando Calrissian in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, first in the early 1980s for ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) and ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), and thirt ...
in ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a sto ...
'' (1980), ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who w ...
'' (1983), and ''
The Rise of Skywalker ''Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker'') is a 2019 American epic space opera film produced, , and directed by J. J. Abrams. Produced by Lucasfilm and Abrams' production ...
'' (2019), and by
Donald Glover Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (; born September 25, 1983), also known by his stage name Childish Gambino (), is an American entertainer, writer, director, and producer. After working in Derrick Comedy while studying at New York University, Glo ...
in '' Solo: A Star Wars Story'' (2018).


Original trilogy

Lando Calrissian first appears in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' as the administrator of Cloud City, an old friend of
Han Solo Han Solo is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. The character first appeared in the 1977 film ''Star Wars'' portrayed by Harrison Ford, who reprised his role in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) and '' ...
(
Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. His films have grossed more than $5.4billion in North America and more than $9.3billion worldwide, making him the seventh-highest-grossing actor in North America. He is the recipient o ...
), and the previous owner of Han's ship, the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the movie ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in ''The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), '' The Empire Strikes Ba ...
''. When Han,
Princess Leia Princess Leia Organa is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the '' Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed in films by Carrie Fisher. Introduced in the original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is princess of the planet Alderaa ...
(
Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016) was an American actress and writer. She played Princess Leia in the '' Star Wars'' films (1977–1983). She reprised the role in'' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015), ''The Last ...
),
Chewbacca Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. He is a Wookiee, a tall, hirsute, bipedal, intelligent species originating from the fictional planet of Kashyyyk. Chewbacca is the loyal friend and fir ...
(
Peter Mayhew Peter William Mayhew (19 May 1944 – 30 April 2019) was a British-American actor. He was best known for portraying Chewbacca in the '' Star Wars'' film series. He played the character in all of his live-action appearances from the 1977 orig ...
), and
C-3PO C-3PO () or See-Threepio is a humanoid robot character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise who appears in the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy. Built by Anakin Skywalker, was designed as a protocol droid intended to ...
(
Anthony Daniels Anthony Daniels ( ; born 21 February 1946) is an English actor and mime artist, best known for playing in 10 ''Star Wars'' films. He is the only actor to have either appeared in or been involved with all theatrical films in the series, and h ...
) arrive at Cloud City, Lando welcomes them as guests of honor - only to betray them to
Darth Vader Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...
(portrayed by
David Prowse David Charles Prowse (1 July 1935 – 28 November 2020) was an English actor, bodybuilder and weightlifter. He portrayed Darth Vader (voiced by American actor James Earl Jones) in the original '' Star Wars'' trilogy and a manservant in Stanle ...
, voiced by
James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...
), who plans to use them as bait to ensnare
Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the protagonist of the original film trilogy of the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Portrayed by Mark Hamill, Luke first appeared in ''Star Wars'' (1977), and he returned in ''The ...
(
Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor and writer. He is known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the '' Star Wars'' film series, beginning with the original 1977 film and subsequently winning three Saturn Awards ...
). Lando had reluctantly agreed to betray Han and company after Vader threatened to put Cloud City under the
Galactic Empire Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fantasy and science fiction, particularly in works known as ' space operas'. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background or written about the growth and/or decline of ...
's control if he refused. Lando allows Vader to freeze Han in carbonite and give him to bounty hunter
Boba Fett Boba Fett ( ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First appearing in the '' Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), where he was voiced by Don Francks, he is an armored bounty hunter featured in both the original and preque ...
(
Jeremy Bulloch Jeremy Andrew Bulloch (16 February 1945 – 17 December 2020) was an English actor. In a career that spanned six decades, he gained recognition for originating the physical portrayal of Boba Fett in the '' Star Wars'' franchise, appearing as t ...
); when Vader takes Leia and Chewbacca prisoner, however, Lando's conscience gets the better of him, and in the ensuing evacuation of Cloud City he helps them escape in the ''Falcon''. He later assists in rescuing Luke from the underside of Cloud City. Afterwards, he promises to help find Han. In ''Return of the Jedi'', Lando goes undercover to help Luke rescue Han from crime lord
Jabba the Hutt Jabba Desilijic Tiure, more commonly known as Jabba the Hutt, is a Character (arts), fictional character and minor antagonist in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Created by George Lucas, Jabba is voiced by Larry Ward with several puppeteers inside a ...
. During a battle with Jabba's thugs, Han saves Lando from being devoured by the
Sarlacc The sarlacc (plural sarlacci) is a fictional creature in George Lucas's sci-fi action saga ''Star Wars''. It first appeared in the film ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983) as a multi-tentacled alien beast whose immense, gaping maw is lined with seve ...
; Lando then helps Han and the others destroy Jabba's barge. For his heroics, he is made a general in the
Rebel Alliance The Alliance to Restore the Republic (colloquial: Rebel Alliance; the Rebellion; the Alliance; or the Rebels) is a fictional stateless interstellar coalition of republican dissidents, imperial defectors, revolutionary factions and anti-imperial ...
. Lando then takes the pilot chair in his old ship, the ''Millennium Falcon'', and leads the attack on the second
Death Star The Death Star is a fictional space station and superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire, the Death Star is capable of annihilating entire planets into rubble, and serves to ...
. He leads the Rebel strike on the battle station, and personally destroys its power core, causing the station to explode. He then joins the other Rebels on
Endor Endor or Ein Dor may refer to: Places * Endor (village), from the Hebrew Bible, a Canaanite village where the Witch of Endor lived * Indur, a Palestinian village depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war * Ein Dor, a Kibbutz in modern Israel ...
in celebrating their victory and the end of the Empire.


Sequel trilogy

Lando did not appear in the first film of the sequel trilogy, ''
The Force Awakens ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'') is a 2015 American epic space opera film produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983) ...
'' (2015). According to Williams, the reason Lando did not return may have been that he did not fit into the storyline. His absence from the casting announcement caused the displeasure of some fans. Lando was also absent from ''
The Last Jedi ''Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi'') is a 2017 American epic space opera film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pict ...
'' (2017). During the early development of the film, director
Rian Johnson Rian Craig Johnson (born December 17, 1973) is an American filmmaker. He made his directorial debut with the neo-noir mystery film ''Brick'' (2005), which received positive reviews and grossed nearly $4 million on a $450,000 budget. Transition ...
briefly considered bringing back Lando as the codebreaker that Resistance members Finn (
John Boyega John Adedayo Bamidele Adegboyega (born 17 March 1992), known professionally as John Boyega, is a British actor and producer. He first rose to prominence in his native Britain for his role as Moses in the sci-fi comedy film '' Attack the Block ...
) and Rose Tico (
Kelly Marie Tran Kelly Marie Tran (born Loan Tran, January 17, 1989) is an American actress. She began acting in 2011, with most of her roles being in short film and television. She came to global prominence for her role as Rose Tico in the ''Star Wars'' sequ ...
) seek in the coastal city of Canto Bight, but Lando was finally written out of the film's script, with the codebreaker role ultimately going to
Benicio del Toro Benicio Monserrate Rafael del Toro Sánchez (born February 19, 1967) is a Puerto Rican actor and producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen Act ...
's character DJ. Lando finally reappeared in 2019's ''The Rise of Skywalker'', marking one of the longest intervals between portrayals of a character by the same actor in American film history. In the backstory to the film, in the years of peace after the Galactic Civil War, Lando attempted to start a family, and had a daughter, who was kidnapped by unknown culprits when she was two years old. In time, it became clear that the
First Order In mathematics and other formal sciences, first-order or first order most often means either: * "linear" (a polynomial of degree at most one), as in first-order approximation and other calculus uses, where it is contrasted with "polynomials of hi ...
was behind both her abduction and those of other children of former Rebel leaders. After the tragedy of losing his daughter and his failure in a quest with Luke Skywalker to find answers about the growing darkness in the Force, Lando settled on the desert planet of Pasaana and adopted a life of solitude. Lando first appears in ''The Rise of Skywalker'' on Pasaana, guiding Rey (
Daisy Ridley Daisy Jazz Isobel Ridley (born 10 April 1992) is an English actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Rey in the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy: ''The Force Awakens'' (2015), '' The Last Jedi'' (2017), and '' The Rise of Skywalker'' (201 ...
),
Poe Dameron Poe Dameron is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', he is portrayed by Oscar Isaac. Poe is an X-wing fighter pilot for the Resistance who inadvertently brings reneg ...
(
Oscar Isaac Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada (born March 9, 1979) is a Guatemalan-born American actor. Known for his versatility, he has been credited with breaking stereotypes about Latino characters in Hollywood. He was named the best actor of his gen ...
), Finn, and Chewbacca toward a clue for the whereabouts of the Sith wayfinder. Poe asks Lando to aid the Resistance, but Lando refuses, saying he does not fly anymore, but sends his regards to Leia. Lando reappears much later in the film, upon Leia's death, and he tells a grieving Poe that he, Luke, Leia, and Han were similarly unprepared when they were fighting the Empire, but that they were able to succeed because they had each other. This inspires Poe to launch an offensive against the Sith Eternal forces, including the Final Order, with Lando traveling the galaxy to recruit Rebel veterans and other supporters of the Resistance's cause to help in the final battle. Just as the Resistance appears most overwhelmed in the battle, Lando, Chewbacca, and
Wedge Antilles Wedge Antilles is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a supporting character portrayed by Denis Lawson in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy. He is also featured in the ''Star Wars'' expanded universe, most notably as ...
(
Denis Lawson Denis Stamper Lawson (born 27 September 1947) is a Scottish actor and director. He is known for his roles as John Jarndyce in the BBC's adaptation of ''Bleak House'', as Gordon Urquhart in the film '' Local Hero'', as Retired DI Steve McAndrew ...
) arrive in the ''Millennium Falcon'' alongside a massive fleet of Resistance sympathizers, allies, and veterans, and they help to win the battle and the war. At the end of the film, as the galaxy is celebrating the Resistance's victory against
Palpatine Sheev Palpatine, also known by his Sith name Darth Sidious, is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Initially credited as the Emperor in the original trilogy films, ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) a ...
(
Ian McDiarmid Ian McDiarmid (; born 11 August 1944) is a Scottish actor and director of stage and screen, best known for portraying the Sith Lord Emperor Sheev Palpatine / Darth Sidious in the ''Star Wars'' multimedia franchise. Making his stage debut in ' ...
) and the Sith Eternal,
Jannah In Islam, Jannah ( ar, جَنّة, janna, pl. ''jannāt'',lit. "paradise, garden", is the final abode of the righteous. According to one count, the word appears 147 times in the Quran. Belief in the afterlife is one of the six articles of f ...
( Naomi Ackie), a former stormtrooper, approaches Lando and says she does not know where she is from; he tells her that they will find out together.


Anthology films

Donald Glover Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (; born September 25, 1983), also known by his stage name Childish Gambino (), is an American entertainer, writer, director, and producer. After working in Derrick Comedy while studying at New York University, Glo ...
portrays a young Lando Calrissian in '' Solo: A Star Wars Story'', which takes place roughly thirteen years before ''The Empire Strikes Back''. Glover had the opportunity to speak with Billy Dee Williams and seek his input. "He said, 'Just be charming'. Which is the best advice." Williams had expressed interest in making a cameo appearance (though likely as another character) in the film, but he did not ultimately appear. In the film, Lando is introduced as a gambler and "retired" smuggler who owns a ship fast enough for Han (
Alden Ehrenreich Alden Caleb Ehrenreich (; born November 22, 1989) is an American actor. He began his career by appearing in ''Supernatural'' (2005), and Francis Ford Coppola's films ''Tetro'' (2009) and ''Twixt'' (2011). Following supporting roles in the 2013 fi ...
) and his associates to use in stealing a load of raw starship fuel. Han tries to win the ship (the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the movie ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in ''The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), '' The Empire Strikes Ba ...
'') from him in a game of sabacc, but Lando cheats and cleans Han out. However, Lando agrees to join the team in exchange for a percentage of the profits from the mission. During the heist and subsequent escape, Lando is injured and his droid co-pilot L3-37 is irreparably damaged, but Han brings the ''Falcon'' to safety with help from L3's navigational database after he hotwires it into the ship's computer. Lando later takes the ''Falcon'' and abandons the team, but Han tracks him down and wins it from him in another game of sabacc, having stolen the card Lando had up his sleeve to let him cheat. Kathleen Kennedy said, in a statement, that a film focusing on Lando Calrissian could happen, but it would not be a priority at the time.


Television series


Animated

Billy Dee Williams returned to the role in the ''
Star Wars Rebels ''Star Wars Rebels'' is an American 3D animated science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and set in the '' Star Wars'' universe. It takes place over a decade after '' Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'' and progressing ...
'' episodes "Idiot's Array" and "The Siege of Lothal". In "Idiot's Array", Lando wins Chopper (voiced by
Dave Filoni David Filoni (born June 7, 1974) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and voice actor. He has worked on '' Avatar: The Last Airbender'', ''The Mandalorian'', and on the theatrical film and television series of '' Star Wars: The Clone ...
), the repair droid of the crew of the ''Ghost'', in a game of sabacc, forcing the crew to assist him with a dangerous smuggling run to get their droid back. The crew become Lando's reluctant business partners following the ordeal, leading to their first encounter with the crime boss Azmorigan (voiced by
James Hong James Hong (; born February 22, 1929) is an American actor, producer and director. He has worked in numerous productions in American media since the 1950s, portraying a variety of roles. With more than 650 film and television credits as of 20 ...
). In "The Siege of Lothal", the crew of the ''Ghost'' approach Lando for help in getting off of Lothal, which is under Imperial occupation. He is also mentioned on occasion in various other episodes, becoming one of a couple of aliases employed by series protagonist
Ezra Bridger Ezra Bridger is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, voiced by Taylor Gray. He is featured as the protagonist of the animated series ''Star Wars Rebels'' (2014–2018) and appears in related works. Ezra also appears in ''Star W ...
(voiced by Taylor Gray).


Live-action

Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company and a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is a business segment of The Walt Disney Company. The studio is best known for creating and producing the '' Star Wars'' and ...
is developing ''Lando'', a series centering on the character for
Disney+ Disney+ is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by the Media and Entertainment Distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television se ...
, with a story by
Justin Simien Justin Simien (born May 7, 1983) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. His first feature film, '' Dear White People'', won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The film was late ...
. While his involvement hasn't been officially confirmed, Lucasfilm has had discussions with Donald Glover about reprising his role from ''Solo''.


Video games

Billy Dee Williams reprises his role as Lando Calrissian in various games, including as a playable character in '' Star Wars Battlefront'' and '' Battlefront II''. Only the second game narrates a continuous story.


Comics

Lando Calrissian is the lead character in
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in 19 ...
' ''Lando'' (2015), a five-issue miniseries set shortly before the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy. Lando has a brief appearance in Marvel's comic miniseries '' Shattered Empire'' (2015), set after ''Return of the Jedi''. Lando is also the lead character in the comic ''Lando: Double or Nothing'' (2018), a five-issue miniseries set just before ''Solo: A Star Wars Story''. The 2020 relaunch of Marvel's ''Star Wars'' series, picking up at the tail end of ''The Empire Strikes Back'', reveals that Lando returns to Cloud City to retrieve Lobot and help Luke look for his lightsaber.


Books

The novel ''Star Wars: Last Shot'' reveals that between ''Return of the Jedi'' and ''The Force Awakens'', Lando is considering settling down with a Twi'lek girlfriend.


''Legends'' media

''Legends'' novels, comics, and video games are not considered canonical to the films. With the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
, most of the licensed ''Star Wars'' novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 film '' Star Wars'' were rebranded as ''Star Wars Legends'' and declared non-canon to the franchise in April 2014. The ''Star Wars'' comic book series released by Marvel Comics featured Lando as a prominent character following ''The Empire Strikes Back''. In the comic series, he has a crime lord nemesis named Drebble, and Lando frequently made use of his foil's name as a cover identity so that any animosity he generates while using the alias will be brought against the real Drebble, not Lando himself. This eventually backfires when "Drebble's" exploits are recognized by the Rebellion and Lando—being the only person who knows of him—has to present the real Drebble with an award for his own activities. Lando is a supporting character in ''Legends'' novels that took place after ''Return of the Jedi'' commonly depicted Lando as getting involved in a variety of entrepreneurial schemes, including Nomad City in
Timothy Zahn Timothy Zahn (born September 1, 1951) is an American writer of science fiction and fantasy. He is known best for his prolific collection of '' Star Wars'' books, chiefly the ''Thrawn'' series, and has published several other series of sci-fi and ...
's
Thrawn trilogy The ''Thrawn'' trilogy, also known as the ''Heir to the Empire'' trilogy, is a trilogy of novels set in the '' Star Wars'' universe, written by Timothy Zahn between 1991 and 1993. The first book marked the end of what ''Star Wars'' fandom calls "T ...
and the Kessel Spice Mines in the works of
Kevin J. Anderson Kevin James Anderson (born March 27, 1962) is an American science fiction author. He has written spin-off novels for ''Star Wars'', ''StarCraft'', '' Titan A.E.'' and ''The X-Files'', and with Brian Herbert is the co-author of the ''Dune'' pre ...
. During '' The Corellian Trilogy'', Lando goes on a
galaxy A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek ' (), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System. ...
-wide hunt for a rich wife, ultimately marrying Tendra Risant. With his in-laws' money and his entrepreneurial abilities, he opens a mining facility on the outer rim planet of Dubrillion. In ''
The New Jedi Order ''Star Wars: The New Jedi Order'' (or ''New Jedi Order'' or ''NJO'') is a series of 19 science fiction novels, published from 1999 to 2003, set in the ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe. The series revolves around the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of ...
'' and beyond, Lando continues being a valuable ally and friend to the Skywalker/Solo family. In '' Fury'', the seventh novel of the ''
Legacy of the Force In law, a legacy is something held and transferred to someone as their inheritance, as by will and testament. Personal effects, family property, marriage property or collective property gained by will of real property. Legacy or legacies may refer ...
'' series, Lando announces to Han and Leia that he and Tendra are having a child. Kevin J. Anderson stated that Lucasfilm toyed with the idea of killing off Lando, noting the character had run his course for Expanded Universe authors in the 1990s.


''The Lando Calrissian Adventures''

''The Lando Calrissian Adventures'' is a 1983 trilogy of
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel univers ...
novels by
L. Neil Smith Lester Neil Smith III (May 12, 1946 – August 27, 2021), better known as L. Neil Smith, was an American libertarian science fiction author and political activist. His works include the trilogy of Lando Calrissian novels, all published in 1983 ...
. Set in the ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe, the novels chronicle Lando's smuggling days before the events of the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy. The series has been described as "space
pulp Pulp may refer to: * Pulp (fruit), the inner flesh of fruit Engineering * Dissolving pulp, highly purified cellulose used in fibre and film manufacture * Pulp (paper), the fibrous material used to make paper * Molded pulp, a packaging material * ...
", and highlights the differences between Lando and Han Solo. The books were released in July, October, and December 1983, and were the first ''Star Wars'' books released since ''
The Han Solo Adventures ''The Han Solo Adventures'' is a trilogy of novels set in the ''Star Wars'' fictional universe by American science-fiction novelist Brian Daley. It follows the smuggling days of Han Solo and Chewbacca two years before the events of the original ...
'' (1979–1980); both trilogies were originally published by Del Rey, a division of
Ballantine Books Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann in 1998 and remains ...
. They were also among the last novels in the franchise until
Timothy Zahn Timothy Zahn (born September 1, 1951) is an American writer of science fiction and fantasy. He is known best for his prolific collection of '' Star Wars'' books, chiefly the ''Thrawn'' series, and has published several other series of sci-fi and ...
's
Thrawn trilogy The ''Thrawn'' trilogy, also known as the ''Heir to the Empire'' trilogy, is a trilogy of novels set in the '' Star Wars'' universe, written by Timothy Zahn between 1991 and 1993. The first book marked the end of what ''Star Wars'' fandom calls "T ...
was released in the early 1990s. The series is set 3–2 years before the original ''Star Wars'' film, and is brought into chronological context with the rest of the Expanded Universe in '' Rebel Dawn '' (1998), the final book of A. C. Crispin's '' Han Solo Trilogy''. For the duration of the trilogy, Lando is accompanied by a droid named Vuffi Raa. The novelization of ''Solo: A Star Wars Story'' makes reference to the events of the first book as a previous adventure of Lando's, which he recounts while composing his autobiographical "''Calrissian Chronicles''". He further estimates that it will be the first in a trilogy of his adventures. ''Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu'' is the first novel in Smith's ''Lando Calrissian'' trilogy, published by Del Rey on 1 July 1983. It is noted as being more of a
psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science o ...
fantasy novel than hard science fiction. The book begins shortly after Lando wins the ''Millennium Falcon'' in a game of sabacc, as well as a robot which must be picked up in the Rafa system. Upon the planet of Rafa IV, convicts are made to harvest mind-draining "life-crystals" which prolong the life of elite citizens. Lando is arrested and brought before the colony's corrupt governor and the sorcerer Rokur Gepta, who will let him keep his life and liberty if he can locate the legendary Mindharp of the ancient and long-lost Sharu civilization. The Mindharp is revealed to be kept inside a multidimensional pyramid with mind-altering properties, which provides a strange adventure for the daring Lando. ''Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon'' is the second novel in the trilogy, published on 1 October 1983. After selling a load of life-crystals, and accompanied by his droid Vuffi Raa, Lando attempts a career as an honest freighter captain. After some bad luck, he is soon nostalgic for his old trade. Fortunately, he is invited to a sabacc game on Oseon celebrating an event called Flamewind, but is followed by Rokur Gepta. After an explosion rocks the hull of the ''Falcon'', they safely land. During the sabacc game, Lando is distracted by the apparent sabotage of his ship, and is assaulted. He comes under trial for having a weapon, illegal on the planet. He is offered a smuggling deal as an alternative to execution. ''Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka'' is the third novel, published on 1 December 1983. Nearly a year after Lando and Vuffi Raa have left the Oseon system, while traveling in deep space they encounter Lehesu, a vacuum-breathing creature. Able to establish communication, they find out he is also on an adventure away from his home, the ThonBoka nebula. A month later, Lando and Raa receive word that ThonBoka is under attack from the Imperial Centrality Navy. Lehesu's exploration of the Centrality apparently provoked the attack on his species. Lando and Raa rush to assist their friend. The Imperial blockade makes Lando nervous, but he cons his way through the fleet. When the ''Millennium Falcon'' strays from its course and is ordered to return, they dump explosives and go into hyperspace to fake the ''Falcon'''s destruction. Meanwhile, Rokur Gepta forms an alliance with a confederate squadron. Lando and Raa reunite with Lehesu, and hear of a negotiation attempt which only results in an outbreak of battle. The vacuum-breathing creatures use their projection and hyperspace abilities to fool the Imperial Navy, which fires on its allied ships. As Vuffi Raa pilots the ''Falcon'', Lando engages the enemy in battle from the quad-gun in one of their last adventures before Raa is resummoned to his original programming.


Video games

Williams reprised his role as Lando in ''Legends'' videogame '' Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast''. In '' Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga'', Calrissian is an unlockable playable character, having the characteristic of being able to kiss Leia's hand if she is nearby. Lando is also a playable character in the multiplayer aspect of the 2017 game '' Star Wars: Battlefront II''.


Concept and creation


Development

During development of the character, the original teaser trailer for ''The Empire Strikes Back'' introduced him as Landau Calrissian rather than his final name of Lando. Actor
Yaphet Kotto Yaphet Frederick Kotto (born Frederick Samuel Kotto; November 15, 1939 – March 15, 2021) was an American actor known for numerous film roles, as well as starring in the NBC television series '' Homicide: Life on the Street'' (1993–1999) as ...
was an early choice for the role of Lando Calrissian, but chose to appear in the prison drama ''
Brubaker ''Brubaker'' is a 1980 American prison drama film directed by Stuart Rosenberg. It stars Robert Redford as a newly arrived prison warden, Henry Brubaker, who attempts to clean up a corrupt and violent penal system. The screenplay by W. D. Richte ...
'' instead. In writing ''The Empire Strikes Back'', Lucas initially considered that Lando Calrissian was a clone from a planet of clones which caused the Clone Wars mentioned in the original ''Star Wars'' film. Lando's cane in ''The Rise of Skywalker'' was designed to resemble Cloud City. It is inscribed "Baron Lando Calrissian". In 2019, Billy Dee Williams discussed that he built the character around the two features he found interesting; the cape, and the Armenian name "Calrissian".


Portrayal

In 2018, ''
The Verge ''The Verge'' is an American technology news website operated by Vox Media, publishing news, feature stories, guidebooks, product reviews, consumer electronics news, and podcasts. The website launched on November 1, 2011, and uses Vox Media' ...
'' noted that despite Han Solo's first name being written as "Han" and franchise creator George Lucas also pronouncing the name as "Han" () off-screen, within the films most characters, including Luke Skywalker, pronounce it as "Hahn" (). ''The Verge'' also noted how Billy Dee Williams' Lando seems to be the only character to pronounce it as "Han" like Lucas, and that when, in ''The Empire Strikes Back'', Lando is choked by Chewbacca for betraying Han, Lando causes most other characters to shift to "Han". In ''Solo: A Star Wars Story'', Glover decided to deliberately use "Han" instead of "Hahn" in order to honor the character's trait. Ahead of the release of ''Solo: A Star Wars Story'', co-writer Jonathan Kasdan suggested that Lando is
pansexual , meaning "all" , definition = Sexual or romantic attraction to people regardless of gender , classification = Sexual identity , parent = Bisexuality , synonyms = , associated_terms = Polysexual, queer, heterofl ...
and stated, "There's a fluidity to Donald and Billy Dee's ortrayal of Lando'ssexuality ... I would have loved to have gotten a more explicitly
LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...
character into this movie. I think it's time, certainly, for that, and I love the fluidity ― sort of the spectrum of sexuality that Donald appeals to and that droids are a part of. He doesn't make any hard and fast rules." When asked about a scene where L3-37 jokes about Lando's being flirtatious towards Han, writer
Lawrence Kasdan Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American filmmaker. He is the co-writer of the ''Star Wars'' films ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), ''The Force Awakens'' (2015), and '' Solo: A Star Wars Sto ...
said, "That is her personality. Maybe it means something, maybe it doesn't." When asked about Lando's pansexuality, Donald Glover stated, "How can you not be pansexual in space? There's so many things to have sex with." An upcoming Marvel
pride Pride is defined by Merriam-Webster as "reasonable self-esteem" or "confidence and satisfaction in oneself". A healthy amount of pride is good, however, pride sometimes is used interchangeably with "conceit" or "arrogance" (among other words) wh ...
-themed series of comic covers is slated to feature Lando, apparently canonizing the character's LGBT status.


Reception

Author Adilufu Nama wrote in 2008 that Lando "offered a new benchmark in the status of black representation in science fiction cinema". According to Alyssa Rosenberg of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nat ...
'', Lando is a "fascinating and fraught part of the ''Star Wars'' legacy and the conversation around race in science fiction". She added that "Lando's the only character in ''Star Wars'' with a truly comfortable sense of style." On his portrayal, she wrote, "One of Williams's accomplishments in ''Empire'' and ''Return of the Jedi'' is how much he
eels Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 19 families, 111 genera, and about 800 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage ...
like an old-fashioned movie star in a futuristic setting without making the performance seem incongruous." Lando Calrissian was chosen as the 11th best ''Star Wars'' character by
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa dist ...
and the 12th best ''Star Wars'' hero by IGN's Jesse Schedeen, who also said that he was one of the characters he would most like to see in '' Star Wars: The Force Unleashed''. In 2015, Billy Dee Williams publicly admitted that he received backlash from children who were angered by Lando's betrayal of Han Solo in ''The Empire Strikes Back''. Williams felt that the situation would have been different if Lando had been played by a white actor. Williams wrote that "Lando is not black or white, he's just Lando. Above and beyond the arguments or discussions of bygone eras, he is of the future." He further stated, Writing for ''The Verge'', Megan Farokhmanesh criticized Jonathan Kasdan's assertion that Lando is pansexual as "a piss-poor shot at representation", and argued that Kasdan was conflating pansexuality with
promiscuity Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as promiscuous by man ...
. Farokhmanesh compared the assertion to J. K. Rowling's statement that her character
Albus Dumbledore Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts. As part of his backstory, it is revealed that he is ...
is gay, despite no ''
Harry Potter ''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Ho ...
'' media depicting this. In 2019, Billy Dee Williams criticized the decision as well, blaming ''Solo'''s underperformance at the box office on its focus on this "topical" issue.


In popular culture

* A
Kenner Kenner Products, known simply as Kenner, was an American toy company founded in 1946. Throughout its history, the Kenner brand produced several highly recognizable toys and merchandise lines including action figures like the original series of ...
Lando Calrissian action figure appears among Elliott's toys in ''
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott, a boy who befriends an Extraterrestrial life, ...
''. * In ''
Something, Something, Something, Dark Side "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side" is a direct-to-video special of the animated series ''Family Guy'' which later served as the 20th episode of the show's eighth season and is the second part of the series' '' Star Wars'' parody trilogy ...
'' and '' It's a Trap!'', ''
Family Guy ''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom originally conceived and created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show centers around the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their chi ...
''s parodies of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi'', Mort Goldman served as a stand-in for Lando Calrissian. * Lando appeared in some episodes of ''
Robot Chicken ''Robot Chicken'' is an American adult animated stop motion sketch comedy television series, created and executive produced for Adult Swim by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. The writer ...
''. * Lando appears as one of the judges of the "Coolympics" in ''
The Cleveland Show ''The Cleveland Show'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Richard Appel, and Mike Henry (voice actor), Mike Henry for the Fox Broadcasting Company. A Spin-off (media), spin-off of ''Family Guy'', the series centers on Cle ...
'' episode, " Back to Cool". * Lando Calrissian appears in the '' Mad'' episode, "Moves Like Jabba". * A bird version of Lando nicknamed Lando Bird appears in ''
Angry Birds Star Wars ''Angry Birds Star Wars'' is a discontinued puzzle video game, a crossover between the ''Star Wars'' franchise and the '' Angry Birds'' series of video games, launched on November 8, 2012, first for Windows, iOS, and Android devices, later also ...
''. * Lando's
Lego Lego ( , ; stylized as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys that are manufactured by The Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of variously colored interlocking ...
version makes a cameo appearance in ''
The Lego Movie ''The Lego Movie'' is a 2014 Computer animation, computer-animated Adventure film, adventure comedy film written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from a story by Lord, Miller, and Dan and Kevin Hageman. Based on the Lego line o ...
''. * In the TV series '' Timeless'' season 2 episode 22 ("The King of the Delta Blues", 4/22/18), Connor Mason (
Paterson Joseph Paterson D. Joseph (born 22 June 1964) is a British actor. He appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of ''King Lear'' and ''Love's Labour's Lost'' in 1990. On television he is best known for his roles in '' Casualty'' (1997–1998) ...
) uses Lando Calrissian as his alias and stands in as the technician for the legendary recording session with Robert Johnson; when he returns to the present, his record dust jacket has Lando Calrissian listed as the recording technician. * Lando Calrissian makes cameo appearances in ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
'' short films '' The Force Awakens from Its Nap'' and '' Plusaversary''. * In February 2006, Williams guest starred as himself in the season 5 episode "Her Story II" of ''Scrubs'', in which he plays the godfather of Julie (
Mandy Moore Amanda Leigh Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame with her debut single, "Candy", which peaked at number 41 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Her debut studio album, '' So Real'' (1999), recei ...
). Turk (Played by
Donald Faison Donald Adeosun Faison (; born June 22, 1974) is an American actor and comedian, best known for his leading role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC/NBC comedy-drama '' Scrubs'' (2001–2010), and a supporting role as Murray in both the film '' Clueles ...
) hugs him, calling him "Lando", even though he prefers to be called Billy Dee.


Explanatory notes


References


External links

* *
Lando Calrissian
on
IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
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