Why Do Wookies In Rebels Look Like Wet Dogs?

I’ve always loved seeing Wookiees on screen. There’s something so iconic about their towering presence and that thick, flowing fur.

But when I watched Rebels, I couldn’t help but think – why do they look so different here? They’re still Wookiees, sure, but the “wet dog” vibe threw me off.

If you’ve wondered the same thing, let’s get into why they ended up looking this way.

It All Comes Down to Budget

First off, Rebels was working with a significantly smaller budget compared to The Clone Wars. George Lucas treated The Clone Wars as his personal passion project.

He even self-funded the show whenever it went over budget, which is part of how they were able to push the boundaries of animation and detail in the series.

Estimates suggest that The Clone Wars cost around $1 million per episode at its peak.

When Rebels came around, though, Disney wasn’t willing to throw money at it the same way Lucas did.

The budget for Rebels was considerably lower, with some estimates placing it around $500,000 per episode – about half of what The Clone Wars had.

This drop in funding meant the team had to be more strategic about where the money went.

For instance, animating something like Darth Vader’s flowing cape was prioritized over getting Wookiee fur just right, and certain creative choices were made to keep costs down.

I even remember reading that Kallus doesn’t even have a separate model for pajamas – he sleeps in his uniform because animating new clothes just wasn’t in the cards. It’s kind of funny when you think about it.

And don’t forget, the first season of Rebels was put together in half the time and with half the staff compared to The Clone Wars, which further impacted the quality and depth of animation.

This rushed production meant that tough decisions had to be made about where to allocate resources.

The Wookiees, for example, were one of the corners that got cut. All of these factors contributed to the different look and feel of Rebels compared to The Clone Wars.

Animating Fur Is a Nightmare

Here’s the thing – fur is ridiculously hard to animate.

It’s not just about making it look fluffy; every strand of hair has to move naturally, reflect light the right way, and not glitch out when characters move.

That stuff eats up time and money like crazy.

The team behind Rebels went for a simpler solution: blocky, painted-on fur. It’s not exactly realistic, but it saved them a ton of trouble.

If you’ve seen the Wookiees in Jedi: Fallen Order, you’ll know this isn’t just a Rebels problem.

Even with a much bigger budget, those Wookiees got roasted for looking like they had clumped-up dreadlocks.

Animating fur is just a beast, no matter how much money or time you have.

The Art Style Didn’t Help

Rebels also had a very specific art style, and I think that made the Wookiees look even weirder. The show’s visuals were inspired by Ralph McQuarrie’s original concept art for Star Wars.

That means clean lines, smooth surfaces, and a minimalist vibe. It worked great for a lot of things, like those pencil-thin lightsabers, but it wasn’t the best fit for Wookiees.

Wookiees are all about the texture. Their fur is what makes them look alive, and when you strip that away, they just don’t feel right.

It’s like they took Chewie and put him through a cartoon filter. The result? Wet dog vibes.

They’ve Had a Rough Time In-Universe Too

If we’re talking in-universe, there’s actually a solid reason why the Wookiees look so scruffy. In Rebels, they’re enslaved by the Empire.

They’ve been overworked, malnourished, and neglected. Of course, they don’t look like their best selves. You’d look rough too if you were stuck in a spice mine under Imperial rule.

This fits with other Star Wars media, like Jedi: Fallen Order. The Wookiees in that game also look beaten down and scraggly because they’ve been through hell.

So while the animation might not be perfect, the rough look kind of works for their situation.