Episode VII Casting Rumor: We May At Last Have The Mighty Chewbacca

---

Bleeding Cool reports that agencies specializing in "actors with extraordinary physiques" recently received a new casting call from Disney. It read:

Tall Man (Male, 21 – 60) Male, 7 ft to 7.3 ft tall with a slim/thin build and upright posture. Not too worked out or too ‘thick set’ especially in the shoulders. Broad facial features would be a bonus.

BC's Brendon Connelly thinks that this is for Chewbacca. Peter Mayhew, who played the Wookiee in the Original Trilogy and in Episode III, is not in the same shape as he was back in the day. If Chewbacca were to appear in Episode VII, Disney would most likely need a new actor to portray him.

On the other hand, Connelly noted, "Perhaps they're looking for a new creature, of a different species. Perhaps they just have a tall, not-too-thick-set character in the new movies."

As always, nothing is confirmed until Disney or Lucasfilm says otherwise.

UPDATE: W. Ryan Ziegler, the director of a documentary about Mr. Mayhew called Standing In The Stars: The Peter Mayhew Story, passed along this statement from the actor:

I intend to pursue the role of Chewbacca for Episode VII.

There you have it. Only time will tell if the character appears in the movie and if Mayhew portrays him.

---

Related Stories:

Chewbacca Actor Peter Mayhew Said To Return For Star Wars Episode VII
Rumor Alert: Episode VII To Shoot Partly In IMAX?

---