'Star Wars 7' Casting News, Rumors: Chewbacca returns! J.J. Abrams casts original trilogy actor Peter Mayhew in 'Episode VII'

Earlier this week, we learned that Star Wars: Episode VII had already started filming but the casting process is still incomplete. Well casting has taken a pretty great step forward since this news broke, with Peter Mayhew signing on for the J.J. Abrams film to reprise his iconic role of Chewbacca!

Though the 7-foot, 2-inch 69-year-old legend recently underwent knee surgery with the prospects of his role reprisal slim, it looks like Abrams (and writing partner Laurence Kasdan) may have taken that into consideration while penning the updated script. After said knee surgery, rumors started to spread in regards to a new actor replacing Mayhew for the scenes but now those claims have been proven false.

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

Mayhew played the legendary Wookiee and Han Solo's co-pilot in the original trilogy, beginning with Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope in 1977. Rumors recently surfaced that he was reprising his role after he canceled an upcoming appearance at Texas convention Comicpalooza "due to filming." Since the convention takes place May 23-26, many fans wondered if that meant the actor would be busy with Episode VII ... Mayhew, who also played Chewbacca in prequel film Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, has mainly spent his career playing the iconic character, but also appeared in the horror film Terror and did voice work in the British version of Dragon Ball GT: A Hero's Legacy. 

Mayhew joins his former castmates Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamil and Harrison Ford, all of who have been said to be reprising their Star Wars roles in the film aside a new cast of younger stars.