There have been a number of rumors going around the galaxy lately that Emperor Palpatine might be making an appearance in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series, which premieres tomorrow. Many of those rumors have been fueled by Palpatine actor Ian McDiarmid himself. But today, during a Star Wars Celebration panel, McDiarmid appeared to clarify those rumors by telling audiences not to get their hopes up for a "flesh and blood" appearance.
When asked during a fan Q&A if we would see Emperor Palpatine return soon, specifically in Obi-Wan, this was his full response:
"That is a disgraceful question," he began by quipping. "And one which I have no intention of answering. But -- you can’t win can you? -- I will say this, you will remember the very first Star Wars film, subsequently christened A New Hope. The emperor was present. His presence was felt, but he never appeared. He was sort of interpreted by Moff, by the great Peter Cushing. Then more recently in Rogue One his presence was felt, but he never appeared.
"So all I would say about future speculation is, if you’re expecting the Emperor to appear soon, in flesh and blood, don’t get your hopes up."
Obi-Wan Kenobi is set a decade after Revenge of the Sith, meaning around this time Palpatine is at the head of the Galactic Empire. In that sense, it makes perfect sense that his "presence" might be felt during the series, even if he doesn't physically appear. And that doesn't rule out a future appearance down the line (or that McDiarmid is being coy given how often he's teased this in the past).
Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres tomorrow, May 27, on Disney+, and you can check out the most recent teaser for the series here. There's plenty more news for upcoming shows out of Star Wars Celebration, including Star Wars: Skeleton Crew next year and Andor in August. We also have a list of every upcoming Star Wars movie and film if you're still craving more.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
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When asked during a fan Q&A if we would see Emperor Palpatine return soon, specifically in Obi-Wan, this was his full response:
"That is a disgraceful question," he began by quipping. "And one which I have no intention of answering. But -- you can’t win can you? -- I will say this, you will remember the very first Star Wars film, subsequently christened A New Hope. The emperor was present. His presence was felt, but he never appeared. He was sort of interpreted by Moff, by the great Peter Cushing. Then more recently in Rogue One his presence was felt, but he never appeared.
"So all I would say about future speculation is, if you’re expecting the Emperor to appear soon, in flesh and blood, don’t get your hopes up."
Obi-Wan Kenobi is set a decade after Revenge of the Sith, meaning around this time Palpatine is at the head of the Galactic Empire. In that sense, it makes perfect sense that his "presence" might be felt during the series, even if he doesn't physically appear. And that doesn't rule out a future appearance down the line (or that McDiarmid is being coy given how often he's teased this in the past).
Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres tomorrow, May 27, on Disney+, and you can check out the most recent teaser for the series here. There's plenty more news for upcoming shows out of Star Wars Celebration, including Star Wars: Skeleton Crew next year and Andor in August. We also have a list of every upcoming Star Wars movie and film if you're still craving more.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
Continue reading...