‘Haunted Mansion’ director Justin Simien plans to watch Donald Glover’s ‘Lando’ spinoff for Disney+ “as a fan”

Back in 2020, Haunted Mansion director Justin Simien was tapped for another Disney property, but one set in a galaxy far, far away.

Simien had been developing a Disney+ show spun from Donald Glover‘s portrayal of swaggering space smuggler Lando Calrissian as seen in 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. Glover played the younger version of Billy Dee Williams‘ cape-wearing ladies’ man in the film — considered to be one of the bright spots of the underperforming movie.

After working on it for a while, Simien exited the project; it was announced July 27 that Glover, along with his brother, Stephen, will now write the streaming series for Lucasfilm.

ABC Audio asked Simien about the project, and he apparently doesn’t have any hard feelings about the new direction.

“I’m a big fan of Donald Glover,” he says. “I think one of the reasons why I was attracted to do Lando in the first place was to work with him and support him. His work has inspired me tremendously. And a version of Lando where him and his brother write it and bring it to screen is totally a version I want to see, you know?”

However, The Dear White People veteran does add that the headlines about the suddenly revitalized project caught him off guard. “Not my favorite way of finding out I wasn’t doing it,” he said with a laugh. “But also at the same time … I’m very at peace with the idea that maybe the best way to support and participate in the Lando mythology is as a fan.” (AUDIO IS ABC 1-ON-1)

With the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes still ongoing, it will likely be a while before the Glover brothers’ handiwork sees the light of day on Disney+.

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