“Worst way to get fired”: Star Wars Under Fire after Brutal Firing Tactic for ‘Lando’ Series Writer Justin Simien Goes Viral
Disney’s much-awaited series focused on Lando Calrissian, Lando, has been in the works since 2020, leaving fans excited with yet another prospect of the tale with an array of twists from a galaxy far, far away.
However, three years down the road, the only thing fans are getting to see are twists behind the scenes, as Justin Simien has been replaced as the series’ writer by Donald Glover and his brother Stephen Glover, who also worked alongside him on comedy-drama Atlanta.
Read more: “I certainly poured my heart”: Lando Series Starring Donald Glover Gets Disappointing Update
Glover was already penned to be the face of the Star Wars limited series, and after being attached to write, he’s set to be in full control of how the show develops creatively. However, the news has stunned many due to the nature of how the important role was shifted from one hand to another.
Fans Aren’t Happy With How Star Wars Fired Justin Simien From Lando Series
The 2018 movie Solo: A Star Wars Story wasn’t a success at the box office, but Donald Glover‘s portrayal of a young version of Lando Calrissian won plenty of plaudits.
This led to Disney developing a series around the smooth-talking smuggler and space hero, who was first made popular by Billy Dee Williams in The Empire Strikes Back (1980).
Dear White People writer Justin Simien was initially expected to develop Lando. But now he has been replaced by the Glover brothers as part of a deal that was reportedly made back in May – before the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike kicked off.
It has come to the knowledge that Simien found out he wasn’t part of the project through an Instagram post.
Justin Simien found out he was fired from the #Lando series after reading an Instagram post pic.twitter.com/SJQnV1fPnO
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) July 31, 2023
Many fans have taken to Twitter to express their disappointment at the way the situation was handled.
Worst way to get fired
— Ravi Vora (@RaviVora) July 31, 2023
this is so upsetting in many levels. i was so excited to see justin simien’s take with lando </3 https://t.co/jRbn4GXH2J
— 💭 (@landosthinker) July 31, 2023
The fact that they announced this without telling Justin Simien less than 2 weeks after he gave that quote about Lucasfilm essentially ghosting him for 3 years. Unbelievably disrespectful. There’s no way it wasn’t intentional. That story was everywhere. Just wow https://t.co/tAf5jI1B31 pic.twitter.com/R885qK5A4c
— Miller Ross (@mmmmmmmmiller) July 29, 2023
Justin Simien opening instagram: pic.twitter.com/Vtk2WUUkBQ
— Ares JackieZ (@YTJackieZ) July 31, 2023
As early as late July, Simien was uncertain about his future with the project, telling THR:
“I am attached, I think, but I don’t really know. (Laughs.) The last thing I was told was that they loved it but needed to put a pin in it until they could figure out everybody’s availability.”
Grover would hope the way fans showered their love at his acting in the movie Solo in 2018 despite its underwhelming plot, do the same this time for his work behind the scenes despite the less-than-impressive way Simien was trimmed from the forthcoming series.
Read more: Star Wars: Why Donald Glover’s Lando Series Is Taking SO LONG
What Justin Simien Said About Donald Glover After Getting Fired From Lando Series
Simien might have been surprised by the development that saw Glover and his brother take charge of guiding Calrissian’s next adventures in Lando, but he showed his class by wishing the This is America singer well for the new series.
He wrote on his Instagram story:
“Donald is a national treasure. Glad he and Stephen get to carry the character forward their way. Can’t wait to see. Rooting for everybody Black.”
The 40-year-old, meanwhile, is also in the news for directing Haunted Mansion, which was released on 28th July. Amid Barbenheimer fever, it’s not surprising to see that the movie about supernatural squatters is going under the radar in theaters.
The likes of Jared Leto and Danny DeVito feature in the horror comedy that has opened to mixed reviews.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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