The latest viral rumor states that MCU veteran Tom Hiddleston will play the Sith Lord Palpatine in a new Star Wars spin-off, and fans wonder if there is any truth.
Star Wars took its first dive into a Sith-centric story in 2024 with The Acolyte, which explored the emergence of Dark Side powers during The High Republic.
But after The Acolyte stirred up several controversies, Lucasfilm canceled its first Sith-centric Disney+ series after just one season.
Tom Hiddleston's Palpatine Movie Poster Spurs Fan Speculation
A viral Facebook post from The Sith Archives stated Lucasfilm is developing Palpatine: A Star Wars Story to release in 2027 from Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy and Loki actor Tom Hiddleston.
The post says it will explore Palpatine’s "[rise] to power on Naboo" and his "early political career." It added how moviegoers will also “witness his secretive training" with his Sith master, Darth Plagueis, who recently made his live-action debut in The Acolyte.
Unfortunately, this rumor is nothing more than fan fiction, as there are no reliable reports of a Palpatine movie happening or Hiddleston playing the Sith.
That said, as reported by Deadline in November 2022, Levy is developing a Star Wars movie, but no plot or release details have been revealed yet.
While Tom Hiddleston has long been a popular fan cast to play a young Palpatine in Star Wars, the MCU veteran may not be Lucasfilm’s pick.
Doctor Who star Matt Smith was once set to appear in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker before his role was axed as, according to rumors, he would have played a young Palpatine or his son.
Original Palpatine actor Ian McDiarmid was asked at Star Wars Celebration 2022 about the rumors of Hiddleston taking over the role for a Disney+ series (via IGN). He called the concept “very interesting” as he noted that fans "saw [Palpatine] rise when he was 50," so the series could explore what he did to get there:
"I think it’s a very good rumor. I think you could do that with practically any of the characters to whom it has not been done already. We saw [Palpatine] rise when he was 50, didn’t we? What did he go through to get there, and how did Sidious come about? I think all of that is very interesting, and no doubt there are people as we speak somewhere around this city thinking along those lines. It would be great."
Speaking with Josh Horowitz from Happy Sad Confused, Hiddleston addressed fan casts of him as Palpatine, joking that, due to his famously decrepit skin, he would "need to get a little older" to play the Sith Lord.
Discussing what Star Wars roles he could be interested in, the actor revealed he is "open to all of it," saying how it would be "an amazing thing to be part of."
What New Star Wars Movies Are Actually Happening?
While Palpatine: A Star Wars Story may not be happening, Lucasfilm is developing upward of 10 new movies spanning various eras in the galaxy far, far away.
Marking Star Wars' first hyperspace jump to theaters since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker will be The Mandalorian & Grogu on May 22, 2026. Directed by Jon Favreau, the flick will star Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin and follow up on the events of The Mandalorian - with Season 4 seemingly no longer in the works.
Furthermore, Dave Filoni will bring the MandoVerse together to fight Grand Admiral Thrawn, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will explore Rey's new Jedi Order after the events of the sequel trilogy, and James Mangold will tell the tale of the first Jedi.
Additionally, in a project once conceived as a Disney+ series, Lando Calrissian is will star in a movie by Donald Glover (who played the role in Solo: A Star Wars Story) and his screenwriter brother Stephen Glover.
Shawn Levy (Free Guy), Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), and Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) are also all developing Star Wars movies, the latter two of which are planned to spawn new trilogies.
A full list of all the upcoming reported Star Wars projects and their directors can be seen below:
- The Mandalorian and Grogu (Jon Favreau)
- Untitled Rey's New Jedi Order Movie (Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy)
- Untitled MandoVerse Crossover Movie (Dave Filoni)
- Untitled Dawn of the Jedi Movie (James Mangold)
- Untitled Movie (Taika Waititi)
- Untitled Movie (Shawn Levy)
- Lando (Donald & Stephen Glover)
- Untitled Movie Trilogy (Rian Johnson)
- Untitled Movie Trilogy (Simon Kinberg)
Whether Palpatine could lead a Star Wars project is certainly tough to imagine for now after the first Sith-centric series, The Acolyte, was canceled.
Fans recently saw Palpatine's master, Darth Plagueis, make his live-action debut in The Acolyte, watching over his apparent apprentice, Qimir.
Star Wars buffs will know that Palpatine is Plagueis' final apprentice. As The Acolyte took place around 50 years before Palpatine was born, one must assume a grizzly fate awaits Qimir.
Looking to the future, Lucasfilm could seek an alternate vehicle to continue that Sith-centric saga, and a popular character such as Palpatine could be just that.
Star Wars' next movie will hit theaters on May 22, 2026 with the arrival of The Mandalorian & Grogu.
Read more about these upcoming Star Wars movies below:
Star Wars' Troubled Rey Movie Proves Lucasfilm's Biggest Problem
Star Wars Announces New Movie Trilogy, Reportedly Episodes 10, 11 & 12
Star Wars: Next 3 Movies Get Reassuring Release Updates From Disney
