The original Return of the Jedi was going to take place on Kashyyyk, the wookie homeworld. It was decided that wookies had been shown through the series to be too civilized (guns etc) so they moved it to Endor and ewoks.
He did mean Ewoks. they were called wookies when Lucas was first coming up with the ideas for the third movie. Nerdgasm over. Though, that is too bad, I would have liked to see a more experimental film approach to the third movie, kind of like the guy from Eraserhead getting jedi powers.
How bizarre is it that David Lynch of all people is the kindly old Hollywood grandpa now? I just want to hug him and take him out to Shoney's after church.