Following up on word last week that he had to cancel upcoming convention appearances, it now looks like a lock that actor Peter Mayhew will return to the role ofChewbacca for Star Wars: Episode VII.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mayhew will reprise his mighty wookiee character, who he also played in the original Star Wars trilogy and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Mayhew has also donned the furry suit over the years for various one-off promo appearances (we won’t get into the whole Star Wars Holiday Special thing here). Chewie joins R2-D2 as another classic character returning for the film.

The actor recently canceled an appearance at a Texas convention “due to filming.” The con takes place May 23-26, which got observers wondering if this meant a return to the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon for the actor. In any event, it’s nice to see that Mayhew is well enough to join the production, considering the health challenges he has faced in recent years.