Which Characters Could Return In Star Wars Episode 7?

In a recent interview with Mark Hamill, published after the announcement that Disney had bought Lucasfilm, Hamill said he and Carrie Fisher had met with George Lucas over the summer to talk about the upcoming trilogy. Also, Lucas' biographer Dale Pollock, who reportedly has read the treatments for the new trilogy, has said the new trilogy would place Luke Skywalker in his thirties or forties. With Hamill being 61, he couldn't play Luke that young-and recasting may make the new trilogy feel like a reboot rather than a continuation of the original trilogy. Placing the new trilogy at a proper distance from Return of the Jedi could allow Hamill to return as a sort of Obi Wan Kenobi figure for the younger characters. This could work since it would provide Luke with a role that would make sense in regards to his character as well as Hamill's age, while still allowing the new characters to take centre stage. The two Star Wars trilogies have also always been about the Skywalker family legacy, so it'd make sense to still have Luke be a part of the story, especially if Luke's son or daughter is a main character. What of Princess Leia and Han Solo? While it would be surreal to see the three main actors from the original trilogy share the screen again, what purpose could Leia and Han serve in the new trilogy? If they returned as well as Luke, it may start to feel too much like a generic "passing the torch" story, especially if Leia and Han's offspring are central characters as well. You also don't want it to turn in to Star Wars: The Expendables, with the older characters blowing stuff up around the galaxy, as cool as that would be. That being said, even if Han doesn't appear, a cameo by the Millenium Falcon could still be an option. Speaking of Han, his trusty co-pilot would also have to be by his side if he returned. Like C-3PO and R2D2, Chewie is essentially an ageless character, with Peter Mayhew always seen in the costume. Chewie could also appear even if Han doesn't, like a sidekick to Han and Leia's son. Another interesting option for a return appearance would be Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calirissian, Han's friend, who betrayed him in The Empire Strikes Back in order to keep the Empire out of Cloud City. Lando redeems himself by helping Leia, Chewie and the droids escape from the city, and assisting with the rescue of Han from Jabba the Hutt. He also leads the charge on the second Death Star. So, he turned out to be a pretty good guy. It'd be interesting to check in on Lando and see what's he been doing since Return of the Jedi. Williams isn't too busy and as Lando he was quite charismatic, so he'd be a welcome addition to the new film. While he died in Return of the Jedi, we know that a Jedi Knight can become part of the Force and appear to others in touch with the Force. So Yoda could appear to Luke or another young Jedi learning to communicate with the force. Yoda, despite constantly talking backwards, is always a source of knowledge and guidance in the Star Wars universe, and with the exception of A New Hope, has appeared in every Star Wars film, whether it'd be as a puppet or digital creation, so he'd be a likely contender to appear in this trilogy as well. Obi Wan's mentor Qui Gon Jinn, played by Liam Neeson also became part of the force, as Yoda hinted to Obi Wan at the end of Revenge of the Sith. Could Qui Gon also make an appearance to Luke? It would make sense since it was Qui Gon who discovered Luke's father and believed he could be a great Jedi. It'll be intriguing to see which characters ultimately pop up again, which are merely referenced, and ones who get no mention at all. Ultimately, it's important to strike a balance between connecting the new trilogy to the previous trilogies, while not falling in to the trap of making the films feel boxed in by having all the same characters re-appear, which was one problem with the prequel trilogy. Nevertheless, we love many of the Star Wars characters, and if it makes sense for them to return, it'll be really satisfying to see them again.