Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is sure to have many returning faces. Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, Dr Evazan, and even iconic villain Darth Vader will make an appearance, cameo or otherwise. And since the film is set in the Empire’s prime, one other character name has been circulating as a potential cameo as well, most popularly theorized as a holographic appearance: Emperor Sheev Palpatine. However, during an interview with Dutch website XGN at this weekend’s Amsterdam Comic Con, actor Ian McDarmid let slip that he won’t be appearing in Rogue One. Seems like there were no Royal Guards to guard him from overspeaking.

Sad news for me, because Palpatine is one of my favourite movie villains ever. Ian McDarmid is amazing at embodying the stereotypical cackling maniac in Return of the Jedi. And he’s no less great when tasked with giving the character some depth in the prequels. It would’ve been cool to see him putting fear into the hearts of his underlings one last time, but it appears it wasn’t meant to be.

Skip the video below to 6:30 to hear just how clear Ian is about not being in the film. And keep checking Hound’s Tooth and my personal Twitter for more thinkpieces and (apparently) occasionally news.

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