We love Simon Pegg. We love Star Wars. We also loved Spaced, which sees Simon taking a torch to his Star Wars memorabilia because he hates George Lucas’ prequel trilogy so much.

The minute JJ Abrams was announced as the director of Star Wars: Episode VII, we prayed to the maker that Pegg hadn’t burned his chances of appearing in it along with his Jar Jar plushie.

But what’s that in the distance? Cause for optimism? Help us, Benedict Cumberbatch; you’re our only hope.

Asked if he would want to appear in JJ’s Star Wars Universe, Cumberbatch said: “J.J. and I are friends, so yeah, possibly. But I think J.J. is very good at creating something original out of something known, and I think apart from his continuing use of Simon Pegg — and who can blame him, frankly — it made sense not to do it.”

Wait, what? Continuing use of Simon Pegg? In Mission Impossible, Star Trek and… Star Wars?

Before you get too excited, Pegg’s denying it. From a certain point of view. “Well, J.J. uses me in different roles, and we’re good friends. I feel like my face in Star Wars would pop people out of the movie. Look, I love Star Wars, and I don’t want people to watch and go, Oh, there’s Simon Pegg’s face. The film is cleverly cast with these amazing, unknown actors.”

But what if Simon’s face is hidden behind alien make-up? Or a cool mask? Or a MANDALORIAN HELMET?

Sorry, sorry, we got over-excited.

But still, this does give us (A New) hope there’ll be lovely surprise for Simon Pegg fans in Episode VII.