MOVIE NEWS – A source from the movie makers asserts that one long-rumored villain will come back in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Ever since Rogue One: A Star Wars Story started shooting in 2015, we’ve heard about the gossip many times over the last year and a half. Now we can tell for sure, that indeed: Darth Vader will be present in this first spinoff film.

And his presence should make fans quite happy, as he has been restored to meet perfectly the menacing Sith Lord that we saw in the original 1977 classic Star Wars: A New Hope. This standalone movie will also respond to one big question that has troubled some of the fans ever since Darth Vader made his return in Empire Strikes Back.

The people at Making Star Wars have are invaluable when it comes to supplying Star Wars scoops and spoilers that turn out to be authentic. This time around, they have seen photos of Darth Vader from Rogue One. These images display Darth Vader posing in his iconic black armor and mask.

They were supplemented by pictures of Felicity Jones as Jyn in the same location. She is outfitted in her black Imperial camouflage which was first shown in the trailer. Here, we can see her holding a helmet. Initially, it was believed that she was posing as an Imperial Gunner, but a first look at the helmet actually indicates that she may be disguising herself as an AT-DP driver.

It was earlier stated that original Darth Vader costume sculptor Brian Muir had returned to recreate the Sith Lord’s look from A New Hope, and these sneak peek images prove that he’s nailed it. It is also rumored that James Earl Jones will return to reprise the character, after having voiced Darth in recent episodes of Star Wars Rebels.

The Rogue One Darth Vader costume is almost an exact New Hope replica down to the very fine details. It is reported that the upper armor has the tunic going over the top of the shoulders, as it was first seen in Episode IV. Even the belt buckle is the same, with the inside of the cape having the same shiny material as the original. The gloves are an identical match, and not like the upgraded ones are seen in the sequels. And the belt still has its lights, with the chest piece lights in the same position. Gone is the Revenge of the Sith symmetrical look for the mask. And the eye lens retains their amber hue.

It is rumored that Spencer Wilding is playing Darth Vader this time out. And judging from the photos, he’s a perfect match for original actor David Prowse. Possibly the most interesting thing about this new rumor is that it answers one big question fans had after seeing the teaser trailer for the first time. Just who is in that blue tank we see flanked by two Imperial Royal Guards? Apparently, it’s the former Anakin Skywalker. Though, we still don’t get an answer as to who the mysterious hooded figure is.

A source close to LucasFilm claims that there is a scene in Rogue One where Darth Vader has his limbs interchanged and repaired. The moment is meant to clear up some confusion as to why Darth isn’t very good at swinging a lightsaber in his climactic duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of A New Hope. Especially since the Sith Lord is a master swordsman in Star Wars Rebels, which takes place only a short time before Rogue One.