One of the big disappointments that "Star Wars" fans endured when the cast of "The Force Awakens" was originally announced was the absence of Billy Dee Williams. It essentially made it clear that one fan favorite character, Lando Calrissian, would not be joining in on the current adventures of the saga.

However, that does not mean that Lando will be gone for good -- at least that is what writer Lawrence Kasdan is claiming.

During an interview with Vanity Fair, the screenwriter for "The Force Awakens" was posed the following questions: "My son wants to know: Are we ever going to see Lando Calrissian again in a 'Star Wars' movie?"

Kasdan's reply? "Right now, there's no Lando Calrissian in this movie. But Lando I don't think is finished in any way, shape, or form."

What that means is as cryptic as it comes. Is he coming back for "Episode VIII?" Or is a spin-off film in the works for the venerated hero?

Lando did not make any appearance in the original "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope." His first appearance came halfway throughout "Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" and he returned for the final film in that trilogy. So an appearance in the second film of the new trilogy would follow the pattern. It also makes sense.

Director J.J. Abrams has a new cast of characters to introduce with the current film and he also has to find a way to fit in the classic characters such as Luke, Han and Leia from the original films. That balancing act is hard enough, and bringing in other fan favorites, such as Lando, might threaten to overburden the reunion and overshadow the newer characters making their first appearances in the franchise.

Whatever the case might wind up being, fans can be assured that, if Kasdan is right, Lando will be back.