Rogue One to Bring Back This Classic Star Wars Villain?

Now thatproductionis under way onRogue One: A Star Wars Story, new rumors about the plot and the cast of characters are starting to come forth, hinting at the anthology movie’s connection to the originalStar Warstrilogy. We reported earlier this month thatFelicity Jones' character may be the daughter of bounty hunter Boba Fett, while another report claimed thatDiego Luna’s character may be fighter pilot Biggs Darklighter. Today we have another rumor fromThe Daily Mail, which claims a major character from the originalStar Warstrilogy maybe included. There will be potential SPOILERS below, so read on at your own risk.

This unconfirmed report reveals that the latePeter Cushing, who playedGrand Moff TarkininStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, will be digitally re-created to reprise his role inRogue One. The character reportedly has an important role in the story, which connects to the origins ofDarth Vader. Here’s what an unidentified source had to say about how Grand Moff Tarkin fits into the plot.

“This is one of the most complex and costly CGI re-creations ever. Cushing is a pivotal plot line as he was the one to create Darth Vader and there’s a whole back story that will come out.”

We know that the story takes place betweenStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, when Darth Vader was first created, andStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. TheRogue Onefilmmakers' biggest challenge in this digital re-creation revolves around the character’s legs and feet. During production onStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, directorGeorge LucasgavePeter Cushingand other Galactic Imperial officers “ill-fitting leather riding boots.” The actor reportedly complained about the boots so much that the director let him wear slippers, forcing the actor to only be shot from the knees up, or standing behind theDeath Starconference table. Here’s what the unknown source had to say about re-creating the late actor’s feet and legs, with the filmmakers scouring through the actor’s Hammer Films' horror titles.

“They are going through hours and hours of old footage from the horror movies to recreate his legs and feet to produce realistic movements. It is eerie to see someone who has been dead for so long come to life on a screen.”

This report hasn’t been confirmed by Disney or LucasFilm yet, and we probably won’t get any confirmation about Grand Moff Tarkin’s presence inRogue One: A Star Wars Storyanytime soon. In related news,Rogue One: A Star Wars Storycast memberDonnie Yenrevealed a new photo on his Instagram page, which features an iconic Stormtrooper helmet along with two new helmet designs. The helmet on the left is believed to be a new Imperial helmet, while the one on the right is most likely a Rebel Alliance design. The photo was removed from the actor’s Instagram page, but you can check it out below, and stay tuned for more onRogue One: A Star Wars Story, in theaters July 04, 2025.