WhenBen Mendelsohnwas first mentioned as a possible villain forRogue One: A Star Wars Story, he was said to be as deadly and dangerous as Darth Vader. Some inside sources even claimed he is set to be one of the franchise’s mosticonic bad guys. We haven’t heard anything official about who this dastardly character is. ButMakingStarWarsdoes have some inside intel on whom the Rebel warriors may be dealing with.
In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a small army ofRebel soldiersgoes on a mission to steal plans for the originalDeath Star, directly connecting it to 1977’sStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. There are rumors that classic villainDarth Vaderwill show up in a costume that is almost an exact replica of what we saw in those earlier movies. But there may be someone far more terrifying out to stop our heroes. And his most discerning feature is his soon-to-be iconic cape.
MakingStarWarsclaims that their inside source is purposely withholding information about whom this villain truly is. But he is believed to be a new entry in the official canon. Though, they claim he is a leader who appears to have some stature, and is most likely affiliated with the Galactic Empire. And this character, who has not officially been confirmed to be played byBen Mendelsohn, is quite revered.
The character in question is definitely not Grand Moff Tarkin, who is also rumored to be returning for this adventure, after his appearances inStar Wars: Episode IV - A New HopeandStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Tarkin is not someone who would ever be seen wearing this type of fancy cape. And it sounds like this is the distinguishing mark of the new villain. The cape is said to be huge and majestic. It is white with a slit down the back. At one point in the movie, the villain is seen treading through a shallow body of water, his cape trailing on the surface behind him.
This particular character is said to be an older male, which is where all theBen Mendelsohnspeculation comes in. The villain is said to have what is sure to become a legendary sidearm. And he has a very cool name, though that won’t be revealed until a much later date. There is a second shot in the movie that shows him walking through a legion ofStormtroopersand other Imperials. The shot in question will be a direct callback to when Darth Vader and The Emperor meet for the first time at the beginning ofStar Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi.
Again, through all of this,MakingStarWarscan’t express enough how neat and awe inspiring this villain’s cape is. And they’re quite certain that it isn’t the character played byMads Mikkelsen. His character is said to be decked out head-to-toe in earth tones. And one shot will showMads Mikkelsenstanding in a massive golden colored field. What do you think? Is this spinoff shaping up to be something quite special? Or does it all sound a little corny? Sound off in the comments below.
