Star Wars 9 SHOCK: Does THIS prove Billy Dee Williams is returning as Lando Calrissian?

The suave former smuggler charmed fans in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

But while Harrison Ford’s Han Solo, Carrie Fisher’s Leia and Mark Hamill’s Luke returned across The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, Lando was nowhere to be found.

Nevertheless Donald Glover has just taken a turn at Billy’s character in Solo, a prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy.

And now with Star Wars Episode IX being the next movie in the franchise, fans have been wondering if older Lando will make a return – especially after a new hint on Twitter.

As a former Star Wars actor Billy does the conventions rounds and most recently appeared at MegaCon Orlando.

Last week their official Twitter account wrote: “Fun Billy Dee Williams fact: Billy just had his 81st birthday.

“He’s training three times a week with a trainer and has a whole new diet.”

This little factoid has managed to excite some Star Wars fans as a new regime of diet and exercise is exactly what Fisher and Hamill were asked to take on before appearing in The Force Awakens.

So could Billy be getting into shape to play Lando one more time?

It would certainly make sense as the other original trilogy actors are now incapacitated.

Ford’s Han died in The Force Awakens and Hamill’s Luke became one with the Force in The Last Jedi – although he could return as a Force ghost.

Meanwhile Fisher’s Leia was supposed to play a big role in Episode IX, but the actress sadly died shortly after completing production on The Last Jedi in 2016.

LANDO RETURNING FOR HIS OWN PREQUEL MOVIE?

There’s an obvious original trilogy mentor gap for Rey, Finn and Poe left wide open.

So who better to literally get into shape and don his flashy cape once more than Lando Calrissian himself?

After all, they’re going to need all the help they can get against Supreme Leader Kylo Ren.

Star Wars Episode IX is released in UK cinemas on December 20, 2019.