‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ Casting Call Could Indicate Return For Wookie

The much talked about Star Wars: Episode VII has put out an interesting casting call that could mean the return of the hairy creature called the Wookie.

Remember Chewbacca from the original Star Wars? He was about seven-foot tall. Well, now the studio behind the new installment in the saga is looking for just that: seven-foot actors for the J.J. Abrams production.

The call, according to the website Den of Geeks, was issued by Disney, Lucasfilm, and Bad Robot productions (owned by Abrams) for a project described as “untitled studio feature.”

The studio is looking for a “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.”

British actor Peter Mayhew, who played the Wookie belonging to Han Solo (Harrison Ford) in the originals, stands at 7 feet 2 inches tall.

Star Wars: Episode VII is the continuation of the franchise, but little is known about the plot line. It is believed that the story will pick up about 20 years into the future after Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo, and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) have defeated the death star and Darth Vader.

Director J.J. Abrams recently told Entertainment Weekly his new version will be “emotional, authentic, and exciting”, while Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy stated in June the new trilogy would use “real locations with special effects” akin to the original trilogy.

Disney is to release one film per year starting in 2015, although the specific date for this new installment remains in the air, with a late release in December being the most recent rumor.

There are also plans for standalone origins Star Wars films which could be focused on some of the most beloved characters from the original trilogy which was so successful between 1977 and 1983.