<P> Joonas Suotamo appears as Chewbacca, taking over the role from Peter Mayhew after previously serving as his body double for The Force Awakens . Mayhew, who was 73 years old and suffering from chronic knee and back pain, is credited as "Chewbacca consultant ." Billie Lourd, Mike Quinn, and Timothy D. Rose reprise their roles as Lieutenant Connix, Nien Nunb, and Admiral Ackbar respectively from previous films . Due to the death of Erik Bauersfeld, Admiral Ackbar is now voiced by Tom Kane . Amanda Lawrence appears as Commander D'Acy, and Mark Lewis Jones and Adrian Edmondson play Captains Canady and Peavey respectively . BB - 8 is controlled by puppeteers Dave Chapman and Brian Herring, with initial voice work by Ben Schwartz and final sound effects voiced by Bill Hader modulated through a synthesizer . Jimmy Vee portrays R2 - D2, taking over the role from Kenny Baker who died on August 13, 2016 . Veronica Ngo portrays Rose's sister Paige Tico, a Resistance gunner who sacrifices her life to destroy a First Order dreadnought . </P> <P> Justin Theroux plays the master codebreaker, while Lily Cole plays his companion . Joseph Gordon - Levitt has a voice cameo as Slowen Lo . Warwick Davis plays Wodibin . Gareth Edwards, director of the Star Wars Anthology film Rogue One, has a cameo appearance as a Resistance Soldier, as does Gary Barlow . Directors Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish also cameo in the film . Hermione Corfield appears as Tallissan "Tallie" Lintra, a Resistance A-Wing pilot and squadron leader . Noah Segan and Jamie Christopher appear as Resistance pilots Starck and Tubbs . Hamill's children, Griffin, Nathan, and Chelsea, cameo as Resistance soldiers . Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry filmed cameo appearances as stormtroopers . Tom Hardy also filmed an appearance as a stormtrooper, but his cameo was ultimately dropped from the final cut . Hugh Skinner cameos as a Resistance Officer . </P> <P> In October 2012, Star Wars creator George Lucas sold his production company Lucasfilm, and with it the Star Wars franchise, to The Walt Disney Company . Disney announced a new trilogy of Star Wars films . J.J. Abrams was named director of the first episode in the trilogy, The Force Awakens, in January 2013 . In June 2014, director Rian Johnson was reported to be in talks to write and direct its sequel, dubbed Episode VIII, and to write a treatment for the third film, Episode IX, with Ram Bergman producing both films . Johnson confirmed in August 2014 that he would direct Episode VIII . In September, filmmaker Terry Gilliam asked Johnson about what it felt like to take over something that was made famous by another filmmaker, to which Johnson responded: </P> <P> I'm just starting into it, but so far, honestly, it's the most fun I've ever had writing . It's just joyous . But also for me personally, I grew up not just watching those movies but playing with those toys, so as a little kid, the first movies I was making in my head were set in this world . A big part of it is that direct connection, almost like an automatic jacking back into childhood in a weird way . But I don't know, ask me again in a few years and we'll be able to talk about that . </P>

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