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‘Star Wars: Rogue One’ Casting For Darth Vader Revealed, As New Novel Tells Han Solo Story After ‘Return Of The Jedi’

By Jinger Jarrett
Published on: 03:11 PST, Apr 13, 2016

As filming began on Star Wars: Episode VIII and The Force Awakens hit the $2 billion mark, casting began for the first installment of an anthology of Star Wars movies. Rogue One takes place shortly before the events of A New Hope, and it tells of the story of the rebels’ plans to steal the plans to the Death Star. The Death Star is the Empire’s latest weapon, and it has the ability to destroy entire planets.

Cinema Blend reported that casting had begun, and the role of Darth Vader, the major villain in Star Wars, had been cast. Actor Spencer Wilding was cast to take over the role from David Prowse, who portrayed Darth Vader in the original trilogy. In the first trilogy, actor Hayden Christensen portrayed both Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader.

As previously reported in Inquisitr, rumors have been circulating that actor Hayden Christensen would return to the Star Wars universe in the upcoming Episode VIII. Filming for the latest espisode of the last Star Wars trilogy recently began in Ireland. Although the next installment doesn’t currently have a name, it’s been reported that it will pick up where Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the seventh installment, left off.

Actor Spencer Wilding, who started acting in 2005, has played a wide variety of small parts under heavy makeup. His roles include a creature in Doctor Who, one of the White Walkers in Game of Thrones, and as a prison guard who steals Peter Quill’s Walkman in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Wilding also acted in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. At six-foot, seven-inches, Wilding is perfect for the part because of Darth Vader’s height. Wilding has been on set running lines even though actor James Earl Jones, who did the original voice over for Darth Vader, is expected to return for the voice over in Rogue One although it hasn’t yet been confirmed.

While casting continues on Star Wars: Rogue One, the next novel in the Star Wars universe is being released, and it will tell the story of what happened to Han Solo and Chewbacca after the events of The Return of the Jedi, the sixth Star Wars movie.

Gizmodo reported that the story picks up after the last Star Wars book, Aftermath. Aftermath was written by author Chuck Windig, and it helps to flesh out the extended gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. While Aftermath teased about some of the exploits of Han Solo and Chewbacca, the latest novel will tell the story of Han Solo trying to fulfill his life debt to Chewbacca in helping to liberate Chewbacca’s home planet of Kashyyk.

In an excerpt released in Entertainment Weekly, the heroes of Star Wars: Aftermath are recruited by Leia to locate Han Solo and Chewbacca so they can go and free Kashyyk once and for all. Things don’t go according to plan, the rebels are searching for Admiral Sloane, who is trying to save the crumbling empire, while Princess Leia and the rebels are trying to broker peace. Han Solo and Chewbacca have disappeared, and the rebels have to stop their pursuit of Sloane and the Imperial Fleet in order to find them. The rebels manage to locate Han Solo and Chewbacca, who are still smuggling in the Millennium Falcon. As Han Solo makes a suitably spectacular entrance, it remains to be seen whether the rebels will get the help they need to save Kashyyk.

[Photo via Studio]

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