Star Wars: With Harrison Ford’s Injury, Could Lando Fly The ‘Falcon’?

Harrison Ford. First we were told that he had injured his ankle on the Millennium Falcon. Then we hear that the “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy” actually broke his ankle. Yesterday, the Inquisitr reported that it was actually Harrison Ford’s left leg that was broken and that he has already undergone surgery. His recovery is expected to take as much as eight weeks.

So, with Harrison Ford down for the count, who’s going to fly the Falcon? J.J. Abrams and the Rebel Alliance – or whatever they’re going to be called 30 years after blowing the second Death Star to smithereens – may not have considered. It’s an option fans will remember Han Solo hadn’t thought about until he saw the name in his computer log back in The Empire Strikes Back when he desperately needed to find a place to fix the Millennium Falcon’s hyperdrive: Lando.

Lando Calrissian. Harrison Ford’s Han Solo didn’t trust him, but he was a friend, you’ll recall…and he’s available.

Billy Dee Williams, who played Lando Calrissian in Empire and Return of the Jedi, has already been slated to reprise his rogue-turned-responsible-businessman-turned-rebel role in the Star Wars Rebels animated series later this year. He’s also on record expressing interest in being involved in Episode VII, though he has not – at least to date – been listed in the official cast or even been the subject of significant rumors.

In a related Inquisitr report, Star Wars Rebels will include aspects first introduced into the Star Wars universe in a role playing game in the 1980s.

C’mon, J.J. Abrams, let Lando fly the Falcon. After all, he was the ship’s original owner, until he lost her fair and square to Han Solo. You could even write Harrison Ford’s injury into the script. It’s certainly plausible that a 70 year old Han Solo might get busted up. After all, a 71 year old Harrison Ford did. Make Star Wars fans’ day and shoehorn in one more character from the original trilogy along with Harrison Ford’s Solo, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.

No? It was probably too much to ask for. As it is, the studio has already said that J.J. Abrams’ production will still be able to wrap up shooting on schedule. They’ve already reworked the shooting schedule to handle the scenes that don’t involve Han Solo while Ford recovers and anticipate being able to shoot the scenes in which they need Harrison later.

Still, admit it, Star Wars fans, in light of the seriousness of Harrison Ford’s injury, the idea of having Billy Dee step in to reprise his role as Lando in Star Wars Episode VII is something most of could get behind, even though we know it isn’t going to happen.