Donald Glover joins cast of new Star Wars film

Actor/rapper Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) performs onstage during the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival Village. Photo / Getty

Childish Gambino, real name Donald Glover, is reportedly set to join the cast of the new Star Wars film.

The actor and Grammy-nominated artist has been cast as Lando Calrissian, a role originally played by Billy Dee Williams.

The Star Wars website announced on Friday that he would be joining the cast of the new spin-off film about a young Han Solo.

The film is still untitled, but is helmed by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

Due to be released in 2018, the movie also stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo.

The website said: "This new film depicts Lando in his formative years as a scoundrel on the rise in the galaxy's underworld".

Donald Glover attends HBO's Post Emmy Awards Reception at The Plaza at the Pacific Design Center on September 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Photo / Getty

Sources told The Hollywood Reporter the film will explore how Lando lost the Millennium Falcon to Solo.

"We're so lucky to have an artist as talented as Donald join us," said Lord and Miller in a statement.

Glover as lando! I'm PUMPED

— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) October 21, 2016

"These are big shoes to fill, and an even bigger cape, and this one fits him perfectly, which will save us money on alterations. Also, we'd like to publicly apologize to Donald for ruining Comic-Con for him forever."

Recording artist Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino performs onstage at Which Stage during Day 3 of the 2015 Bonnaroo Music And Arts Festival. Photo / Getty

Glover is well-loved by the fan community, who launched a petition for him to play Spider-man in the reboot, which ultimately became 2012's The Amazing Spider-man.

Actors Brian Tyree Henry, Zazie Beetz, series creator/actor Donald Glover, and Lakeith Stanfield attends the Atlanta screening. Photo / Getty

The role went to Andrew Garfield, but the actor later voiced Spider-Man Miles Morales on the animated series Ultimate Spider-man.

The 33-year-old star also recently won critical acclaim creating, writing and starring in the FX series Atlanta, starred in four seasons of popular television show Community, wrote for 30 Rock and has two Grammy nominations for albums released under his pseudonym, Childish Gambino.

Actor Donald Glover attends the "Atlanta" Atlanta screening at Georgia Aquarium on August 25, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo / Getty