Chewbacca is set to appear in Disney and Lucasfilm’s standalone Star Wars movie about a young Han Solo.
Disney chief Bob Iger confirmed the news at a Deutsche Bank conference on Tuesday. According to The Wrap, Iger revealed that the film will be “an origin story about Han Solo and Chewie” and also added that it’s scheduled to be released after Star Wars VIII in 2018.
Plot details are being kept under wraps for the project. The film will be directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller of The Lego Movie. No casting announcements have been made.
Iger also spoke about another highly anticipated Star Wars movies, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which is set to hit theaters on Dec. 18.
“Rogue One is about a band of rebels plotting to steal the plans to the Death Star,” Iger said. “It takes place right before what was George Lucas‘s first film, which came out in 1977 and is now called A New Hope.”
Production on Star Wars: Episode VIII began Feb. 15. The project will be helmed by Rian Johnson (Looper). J.J. Abrams will executive produce.
The director/producer recently revealed that he welcomes more diversity in the Star Wars franchise, including gay characters.
“When I talk about inclusivity, it’s not excluding gay characters, it’s about inclusivity,” Abrams told members of the press at the Oscar Wilde Awards. “To me the fun of Star Wars is exploring the possibilities, so it seems insanely narrow-minded to say that there wouldn’t be a homosexual character in that world.”
Openly gay characters have yet to be introduced in Star Wars films.
