Was Chewbacca in the prequels?

Excuse me, could you clarify something for me? In regards to the Star Wars prequel films, did the iconic character Chewbacca make an appearance? I'm just curious because I've always been a big fan of the Wookiee warrior and his bond with Han Solo. Did the filmmakers decide to include him in the earlier chapters of the franchise, or did they opt to keep him reserved for the original trilogy and its sequels? I'd appreciate your thoughts on this.