Last week, rumors began floating that two potential actors up for parts in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII were THE BUTLER’s David Oyelowo and FRUITVALE STATION’s Michael B. Jordan. We can likely put the Oyelowo rumor to rest as The Hollywood Reporter has him, Freddie Prinze, Jr, Vanessa Marshall, Taylor Gray and Steven Jay Blum cast in the new animated series STAR WARS REBELS which will begin airing in Fall 2014. The series will take place between EPISODE III and A NEW HOPE and will follow “the Empire is fortifying its hold on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion is taking shape.”
This doesn’t prevent Oyelowo from appearing in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII, but the time difference between the series and the film makes it unlikely. One new role that we do know that is specifically for STAR WARS: EPISODE VII has a very familiar ring to it:
“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”.
That casting call is for an “Untitled Studio Feature” from Disney/Lucasfilm/Bad Robot and sounds very similar to the great Peter Mayhew who played Chewbacca in the original films. Mayhew recently had double knee surgery and is 69 years old, so a younger actor would be needed to inhabit the furry Wookie costume. If Han Solo is back in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII, it would seem a natural decision to include his best friend, Chewie.
We are hopefully on the verge of getting official casting news for STAR WARS: EPISODE VII, which opens sometime in 2015. Stay tuned.
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