Rumour: Ian McDiarmid to return for Star Wars: Episode VII?

Star Wars: Episode VII refused to let any cats out of the bag at last weekend's D23 festival, but rumour has it that Ian McDiarmid might be another old face set for a return.

Jedi News reports that McDiarmid is set to make an appearance, possibly as a cloned version of the evil Emperor Palpatine, last seen (in sequence, anyway) perishing at the end of Episode VI .

He's not the only former villain keen on a return, with Ray Park talking up a potential do-over as crimson-faced badass Darth Maul.

"I’ve said that I would play anything to do with Star Wars ,” says Park to Flicks And The City . “But really, deep down, I would love to come back as Darth Maul - that’s what I want to do."

"I would go crazy, go mental, lock myself in a cabin, you know. Do the whole ‘method’ for two or three months, spear-fishing and stuff, just to play the character again."

The character met a sticky end at the end of Episode I , but was resurrected in The Clone Wars , so we guess it's not impossible... Star Wars: Episode VII will open in 2015.

George Wales

George was once GamesRadar's resident movie news person, based out of London. He understands that all men must die, but he'd rather not think about it. But now he's working at Stylist Magazine.