Chewie, We’re Young

Disney's Bob Iger let slip that Chewbacca will appear in the upcoming Young Han Solo Star Wars movie, news that will probably make fans very happy, as the odds of seeing Chewie and Han together in new main trilogy Star Wars films are incredibly slim.

Does this mean the film is going to be a 'prologue of The Last Crusade' situation, where we will see Chewie and Han meet and Han gets his vest and pants and all that stuff? Maybe, but with the impossible mission force of Lord & Miller directing I'm slightly less concerned about that. In other hands this would be a bad idea. In their hands there are no bad ideas. 

What interests me more is the question of who plays Chewie, and whether that actor will play him in the main trilogy films. Peter Mayhew returned for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but the guy could barely stand on a stage at the premiere - forcing him to stand around all day on set seems like torture. He's just not in great shape. Rumor has it that he's not returning for Episode VIII, and that makes sense. But will the new Chewie in Episode VIII play him in Young Han Solo? And will we really, truly notice? Possibly - there are great suit actors who can get across a ton of meaning and character even under a ton of latex or, in this case, fur.