http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/04/28/film.starwars.reut/index.html

LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- George Lucas is bringing back the classic characters Chewbacca the Wookiee, C-3PO and R2-D2 for the upcoming "Star Wars: Episode III."

The director has already hired actors Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker to reprise their respective roles as sprightlier versions of their characters for the prequel in preproduction.

All three actors have donned costumes in past "Star Wars" episodes, and in the case of Daniel and Baker, they have loaned their voice talents to puppet and motion-control versions of their characters.

Lucas has noted in the past that having Baker inside the R2-D2 suit brought "an element of humanity" to the character.

The film, whose full title has not yet been disclosed, is scheduled for a May 25, 2005, release.

Sounds pretty cool. Too bad we have to wait two years to see it.

I hope this will not be a disappointment. I know it's probably going to be the darkest of the Star Wars movies.

Lucas said he already had set out what would happen in all Star Wars films, but decided to do the films episodes 4, 5 and 6 first. So, wouldn't that mean that he's porbably had all these scripts written long ago too, meaning he could've done a lord of the rings and filmed all at once. I think computer graphics has something to do with it, and merchandising, and suspense too. He said he didn't do episode 1 first, because he knew the technology and special effects at the time he made episode 4 weren't good enough to film episode 1.

I did hear a rumor years ago that Chewbacca was going to make a cameo in the prequels.
Hopefully the script wil be up to snuff...