Ian McDiarmid Teases Possible Future Appearances for Palpatine

Movies

In an interview with Metro, Ian McDiarmid discussed the possibility of his character, Emperor Palpatine, being in future Star Wars projects. The interview was popularized online by Star Wars News Net. The Scottish actor admits that The Rise of Skywalker is the character’s ultimate demise but toys with his continued involvement in stories taking place before that film’s events. He even name-drops Obi-Wan Kenobi, highlighting Darth Vader’s confirmed appearance in the upcoming series. Interestingly, McDiarmid doesn’t overtly state that he would be the one playing Palpatine. Read an excerpt of his statement 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.”

This is interesting but not all that surprising at this point. It’s also just an actor talking, as opposed to any sort of official announcement from Lucasfilm. Ian McDiarmid seems passionate about playing Palpatine and engaging with the fans, so I don’t think a small appearance from him is out of the question so long as he’s up to it physically. He was one of few redeeming elements in The Rise of Skywalker, along with the musical score. McDiarmid’s performance didn’t exactly make the movie better; that’s too much to ask of anyone. But I did feel more awake when he was on screen, and he seemed to be enjoying himself, unlike everyone else in the movie. 

As far as when and where Palpatine could surface between the events of the trilogies, Obi-Wan isn’t a bad choice. I don’t think he’s needed there, though, as the show already seems pretty crowded, and it’s not even out yet. It would be fine if they use him sparingly, like showing Vader talking to a hologram of him. I’m just afraid they want to turn this into an all-star event like what The Book of Boba Fett devolved into, and this would be yet another significant character in the mix. This should be about Kenobi’s personal journey. I would also not be opposed to a small appearance in Andor, and, of course, there’s always The Bad Batch. We saw a hologram of Darth Sidious in that animated series, but they could use him more there and it wouldn’t be too out of place. The main problem is most of Lucasfilm’s other projects are set between episodes VI and VII. During this time, Palpatine should be inactive. Heck, if you ask me, he should already be dead! But that’s a moot point as long as Kathleen Kennedy is in charge. There’s also the possibility that we could see a younger version of Palpatine at some point, like the one that was rumored to appear in Episode IX. I’m ambivalent about that, as it would depend entirely on who they cast and the execution of the concept. 

What do you make of Ian McDiarmid’s comments? Do you want to see Emperor Palpatine again, and if so, where do you think he should appear? Let us know in the comments below!