Unsubstantiated ‘Star Wars 7’ Casting Rumor of the Week: Peter Mayhew Is Definitely (Maybe) Returning to Play Chewbacca

The rumor mill for Star Wars: Episode VII casting has been in high gear for ever a year now, and yet still so little is set in stone. The only thing we think we know for sure is that the original cast of Mark Hamil, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher are returning as Luke, Han, and Leia. But even that is based on remarks by Fisher that, frankly, could very well prove to be untrue.

So why does everyone keep covering these rumors even though they there's very little to back them up? Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I do it because I love a good conspiracy theory. And today's Star Wars: Episode VII casting rumor definitely is that.

It goes like this. Peter Mayhew, the seven-foot tall British actor who played Chewbacca in the original trilogy, was supposed to appear at a convention called Comicpalooza in May. Then Comicpalooza tweeted this:

It's the "due to filming" part that got everyone all fired up. You see, J.J. Abrams is supposed to start filming the new Star Wars in May. Now Comicpalooza claims Mayhew said he is filming something in may without offering any further explanation. Ergo, it's obvious that the only possibility here is that Mayhew will once again don the wookie suit in Episode VII. Duh.

Are there reasons to suggest this theory might not true? Like, maybe the fact that the 69-year-old Mayhew recently had a double knee replacement? Sure there are. But it's much more fun to just accept the rumor as true until proven otherwise.

[via]