Phil Roberts 
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (Image courtesy of Disney/Lucasfilm)
Legendary Star Wars actor Ian McDiarmid has hinted that Emperor Palpatine could return in adventures set before The Rise Of Skywalker
Ian McDiarmid, the legendary actor behind Emperor Palpatine’s famous makeup may have just hinted that the Dark Lord of the Sith could return in the near future.
While speaking to Metro, the veteran actor confirmed that Palpatine is officially dead and buried after the events of The Rise Of Skywalker. There aren’t any more secret clones hiding in the closet. Nor are there any more secret contingency plans being dispatched to his surviving minions. That starship has definitely sailed. However, he did renew fan hopes of a sensational return by revealing he would be open to returning as Palpatine in a story set before the culmination of the Skywalker Saga.
Although, he did stop short of confirming his involvement in any of the current crop of upcoming projects. Check out his thoughts below:
“I think I have to accept that, thanks to my ungrateful granddaughter [Rey Skywalker], my annihilation was finally final. [But] of course [Darth] Vader is back in the new [Obi-Wan Kenobi] television series, so I suppose it’s not impossible that one day his mentor might be discovered once again skulking in the shadows.”
DARK LORD OF THE SITH
It is worth noting that this interview arrives just months before the release of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+. The adventure is set between the events of Revenge Of The Sith and A New Hope; in a timeline that benefits from having Emperor Palpatine at the very height of his reign. So, anything is possible at this point. And with Darth Vader already making a sensational comeback, the timing couldn’t be better for Palpatine’s return.
But of course, this could amount to little more than McDiarmid teasing the fans once again. However, who wouldn’t love to see Palpatine emerge from the shadows and unleash his evil plans once again. And with both the Andor and Lando series’ set in a similar timeline as Obi-Wan Kenobi; the pedestal is ready and waiting.
Would you like to see Emperor Palpatine return in one of the upcoming Disney+ series? Drop a comment in the section below. We’d love to hear from you.
Source: Star Wars Leaks
Phil Roberts is the Owner, Daily Content Manager, and Editor-In-Chief of The Future of the Force. He is passionate about Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Follow him on Twitter where he uses the force and babbles frequently!
