Did Ron Howard Just Show Us Chewbacca With His Wife In This New Photo From ‘Han Solo’?

Many Star Wars fans were disappointed this weekend when they didn’t receive any news or updates about the upcoming Han Solo film during Disney’s D23 Expo in Anaheim. The movie should have finished principle photography by now, but because of the director change, the filming was extended a few weeks. This directly interfered with the D23 schedule and Disney’s Alan Horn revealed that because of filming, Kathleen Kennedy and the rest of the Han Solo cast and crew couldn’t come to Anaheim to attend the event. Now director Ron Howard has taken to Twitter to share yet another cool photo from the set, this time featuring the almighty Chewbacca.

 

 

Last week Howard showed us two photos with some colorful costumes, asking the fans to guess to whom they might belong to. Now his tweet is much more specific, showing actor Joonas Suatamo, who plays Chewie in the movie, checking a scene between takes.

 

 

 

If you look closer at the actual shot shown on the screen you will see two Wookiees in what looks like a private moment, with another Wookiee in the background. Take a look:

 

 

The fact that Chewbacca himself is checking out this scene, makes us believe that this is Chewie with his wife Malla, who was already mentioned several times in the new Star Wars canon. From Wookieepedia:

 

Malla was the wife of Chewbacca. According to Solo, she was intelligent and had hair resembling silk. During the Galactic Civil War that pitted the Galactic Empire against the Alliance to Restore the Republic, Chewbacca was traveling with Solo, away from Malla and the rest of his family on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. However, following the liberation of the planet from the Galactic Empire’s grasp, Chewbacca reestablished connections with them all.

 

Actually the character of Malla was first created for the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, which is not canon. Later Malla was recanonized in The Princess, The Smuggler and The Farm Boy, but more notably, Chuck Wendig mentioned her in Life Debt and Empire’s End.

 

Of course there is a slight chance that these two Wookiees in this photo are completely different characters, but I doubt Howard would have tweeted it if that was the case.

 

A very cool tidbit just from one behind the scenes photo. What do you think? Is this Chewie and Malla? Are you excited to see more Wookiees in Han Solo? Tell us in the comments below.

 

 

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

Born on April 24, 1980.

Val Trichkov (Viral Hide)

Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

57 thoughts on “Did Ron Howard Just Show Us Chewbacca With His Wife In This New Photo From ‘Han Solo’?

  • July 17, 2017 at 4:10 pm
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    Anything that expands on the Wookie mythos and their lifestyles etc is very welcome. The Wookies have always been so fascinating – they live on a creed of honour, family and truth. Chewie’s life debt to Han will hopefully be explored and that has been a long time coming. I feel very assured now that this movie is in Howard’s very capable hands.

  • July 17, 2017 at 4:40 pm
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    Oh my god, that’s what Lord and Miller were doing… A remake of the Holiday Special !
    I can’t wait for the 15 minutes of unsubtitled wookie growlings.

    • July 17, 2017 at 4:48 pm
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      lol….you might be….right……

      In all seriousness….what would be the one thing that would flip Lucasfilm’s wig and require action immediately? It would be exactly that. Let the urban myths begin!!!

    • July 18, 2017 at 3:18 am
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      I’ve written this before and I’m serious: I think it’d be cool if a younger version of Bea Arthur’s character from the Holiday Special shows up in the Solo movie. Ackmena working a bar in a cantina scene would be a nice callback.

  • July 17, 2017 at 4:49 pm
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    That would be fraking awesome!

    May the Force (and editing magic of G. Lucas, M. Lucas, Chew & Katz) Be With This Film!

  • July 17, 2017 at 5:13 pm
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    The only thing left is to cast Clint Howard as Chewbacca’s son Lumpy.

  • July 17, 2017 at 6:33 pm
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    I think young directors are chosen not just to add fresh eyes to these stories, but PRIMARILY because they can more easily be controlled by Lucasfilm. I’m conflicted on whether this is good or bad.
    What do you all think?

    • July 17, 2017 at 6:54 pm
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      Based on what I’ve been hearing and the vibes I’ve been getting. The production was a total shit show, they were not getting anything done, and what they got done was terrible. When they got fired it seemed like nobody, even cast, were sad about it, they were relieved actually.

    • July 17, 2017 at 7:25 pm
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      A good thing – Star Wars needs a familiar vibe throughout the franchise, and this is possible with new and fresh material if done correctly. What we don’t need is a totally different feel to the film so its Star Wars only in name. Take R1 as a good example, its a lot darker and grittier, but is still Star Wars 100%, even without the Jedi (who’s presence was still felt).

      • July 17, 2017 at 9:58 pm
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        I have a hard time thinking that Rogue One and the episode of Rebels with the robot signing in space all happen in the same universe.

        • July 18, 2017 at 12:22 am
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          Yeah – but a cartoon, even if considered canon, should always be a place for humour. Thankfully we’ve no all singing episodes…….yet…

  • July 17, 2017 at 7:09 pm
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    What do you mean the Star Wars Holiday Special is not canon??? Leia’s song will always be canon in my heart!

    • July 18, 2017 at 3:14 am
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      Leia high on deathstick powder warbling on about Life Day is awesome.

    • July 18, 2017 at 8:05 am
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      It’s terrible and great at the same time. That was the shit when I was a kid, even if we knew it kinda sucked.

  • July 17, 2017 at 7:27 pm
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    Han Solo I, will also be Beethoven IV and Holiday Special II, isn’t it great? Didn’t you want to get to kow all the so called “plot holes” like, ‘Whats chewbacca sexual orientation?”

    • July 17, 2017 at 7:43 pm
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      Re: ‘Whats chewbacca sexual orientation?”

      Is ‘chewbacca sexual orientation‘ when someone is attracted to a really hairy spouse?

      • July 20, 2017 at 4:43 am
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        GL has forgotten, or worse, denied us many information, one of these is ” is chewbacca atracted to male or female wookies?” or ” do jedi wear underware?” , ” how do you travel in the speed of light and gets as old as the people who is NOT in the speed of light” – plot holes that can’t be forgiven

  • July 17, 2017 at 7:50 pm
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    Re: Laura Dern’s, SW 1st time / age
    Laura suggested she thought she was 5yo when she saw SW 1st time.
    It would be rude to tell her she was actually twice that age. 😉

    • July 18, 2017 at 8:04 am
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      Yeah, I’m positive that she’s in her 50’s without googling it. Which makes her look like a ditz, or a liar. Neither of which is hot, even though she’s always been pretty cute.

      • July 20, 2017 at 4:37 am
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        She’s 50 years old now. She was born in 1967 so she would’ve been ten with the original release of Star Wars.

  • July 17, 2017 at 9:19 pm
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    What a shock…the comment section is triggered by something.

  • July 17, 2017 at 9:55 pm
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    People have been complaining about the lack of romance in the recent Star Wars films, boy are they in for a very hairy treat!

  • July 17, 2017 at 9:57 pm
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    I am excited to see Kashyyyk finally done well. The “Kashyyyk” presented in the Prequels was a SUPREME disappointment of CGI-artificiality. The battle on “Kashyyyk” literally looked like a Video Game trailer.

    • July 17, 2017 at 10:55 pm
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      Kashyyyk in prequels was based on real location. That was improved with miniatures and CGI too look more alien. VFX looked great for 2005.

      I really liked what they done.

      • July 18, 2017 at 12:22 am
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        Don’t even bother dude.

      • July 18, 2017 at 11:46 pm
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        EP1 still has overall better and more believable VFX/sets

    • July 18, 2017 at 8:02 am
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      I have to agree for the most part. I didn’t really feel anything for Kasyhyyyk in the PT. It’s never really gotten much love, imo. I was also disappointed in how they used it in SWG. Boring.

    • July 18, 2017 at 9:14 am
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      Exactly.
      No matter how many times I’ve watched the Kashyyyk scenes in ROTS, it just doesn’t register in my brain as anything tangible.

      Not to mention that the scenes are so poorly edited that they feel abandoned before the scenes ever have a chance to get going.

    • July 20, 2017 at 4:35 am
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      I actually like it just fine in Revenge of the Sith. Sure it looks slightly dated now 12 years after the film’s release, but it’s not terrible. Though it’ll be exciting to see a new improved looking Kashyyyk in this film.

    • July 21, 2017 at 7:56 am
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      Agreed, they should have had a live action shot ON LOCATION in a jungle like environment. They had like one shot, and it was green screen, talk about a terrible waste. I hope the Falcon does land on Kashyyyk and we get a more on location feel like Mos Eisley, Tatooine, Hoth, or Endor. On location is the key, not in some studio. Get it right Disney!

  • July 17, 2017 at 9:57 pm
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    How Does A Wookie Wedding Work???

    • July 20, 2017 at 4:34 am
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      A lot of roaring and growling.

    • July 20, 2017 at 4:33 am
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      Let’s hope.

  • July 18, 2017 at 1:15 am
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    We need Holiday Special reboot!!!!

  • July 18, 2017 at 1:44 am
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    If there was a parody of Star Wars movie then this is something I’d expect to see. Poor lighting then all of a sudden the two Wookies disappear behind a bush and get busy which is nicely illustrated to the audience by the rustling leaves.

    Jokes aside, I’m sure this will be a very heartfelt moment and also welcoming to the fans, in the final version that is. Who wouldn’t want to see Chewie’s family? Because it must have been pretty emotional given that he obviously didn’t return.

  • July 18, 2017 at 3:43 am
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    Is that Lola Kirke?

  • July 18, 2017 at 4:28 am
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    Or it could be his mother, father or brother? Who knows how wookiee’s show affection or say goodbye to one another.

  • July 18, 2017 at 5:55 am
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    Common criticism with TFA: Too unoriginal, especially in the third act, some of the humor felt forced.

    Common issues with Rogue One: Too soulless, not enough character development.

    Hopefully, Han Solo and TLJ will avoid these issues, although I don’t believe any Star Wars movie is going to ever get universal acclaim like the original three did.

    • July 18, 2017 at 6:44 am
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      Really looking forward to seeing Rian Johnson’s take on the universe. I’d be ecstatic if it ends up being in the top 3 Star Wars movies

    • July 18, 2017 at 4:30 pm
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      The 3rd act is where most of TFA breaks away…Rey vs Kylo wasn’t in ANH, neither was finding a Jedi Master..

      • July 19, 2017 at 6:29 am
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        You’re right but it still had the DS/SB trench run, and the Obi-Wan/Han Solo confrontation, and the Use the force moment. At least TFA didn’t have the medal ceremony.

        • July 19, 2017 at 2:45 pm
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          True, but we all know that they are gonna blow up the big weapon. In ANH, it was the climax, here it was more like a background flavor. Still similar, for sure, but used much differently.

  • July 18, 2017 at 1:29 pm
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    love to see the Falcon land on kashyyk Maybe some remnants of the clonewars while he’s there. i want full over the top fan service. correlia, boba fett, jabba on Nar Shaddaa. kessel run.. pulling arm… c3po – r2 cameo. ” ive got a bad feeling about this” … but i think that i dont speak for the majority.. anyway.. i wil like it any way 🙂

  • July 18, 2017 at 9:22 pm
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    Perhaps this is how Chewie leaves the story, by returning home and leaving the battle to the newcomers? It would leave the door open for him to return in the future (Episode 12 maybe haha) saving the day just in the nick of time. They don’t all have to die, he’s done enough. Let homie have a bit of peace.

  • July 19, 2017 at 1:24 am
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    Did anyone else think the title was talking Chewbacca and Ron Howard’s wife…?

  • July 19, 2017 at 4:12 pm
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    not Chewbacca’s wife its his husband, Chewbacca is a silent gay

    • July 20, 2017 at 4:30 am
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      LOL!

  • July 20, 2017 at 8:26 pm
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    MALLA!!

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