In Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the character Emperor Palpatine made an unexpected comeback. Following the criticism towards Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Lucasfilm seemed to cater more to the fans in an attempt to wrap up the Skywalker Saga. Director J.J. Abrams re-joined the franchise and introduced the return of the Sith Lord, explaining how he had been manipulating galactic affairs even after his apparent demise in Return of the Jedi. Moreover, it was disclosed that Rey’s lineage includes Palpatine as her grandfather; her father is a failed clone of the Emperor.
The movie “The Rise of Skywalker” faced a lot of negative criticism (with a 51
Matt Smith Was Rumored To Play Palpatine In The Rise of Skywalker
The initial news about Smith’s role in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” was first broken by Deadline in August 2018, sparking intrigue about one of the most enigmatic aspects of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Despite Lucasfilm never publicly confirming his casting, Smith appeared on a cast list posted on Disney’s UK website in April 2019, only to be taken down a month later.
Initially, it was rumored that Smith would face Rey and Kylo Ren in a climactic showdown as Palpatine; however, Smith initially denied any involvement. Later, over time, he admitted (in an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast) that he would have taken on a significant role, although he remained vague when asked if he was intended to play a younger version of Palpatine.
In some interpretations, it’s been speculated that Smith might have embodied a character where Palpatine merely occupied the physical form. Alternatively, other hypotheses propose that Palpatine underwent a transformation like when he saps the Force from Rey and Kylo, which could imply de-aging. Regardless of the details, it appears quite plausible that the ex-Doctor Who actor was initially slated to portray some iteration of Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker. However, things shifted and he ultimately didn’t make it into the final cut of the movie.
A Younger Palpatine Would Have Been A Mistake
In “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” it posed challenges to rehabilitate Emperor Palpatine, primarily due to the lack of a clear introduction or setup for his character in either “The Force Awakens” or “The Last Jedi.” Regarding Smith’s portrayal, despite his exceptional acting skills, visualizing a more youthful version of Palpatine doesn’t necessarily lead to an improvement in the storyline.
It’s fitting that Ian McDiarmid reprised his role as Emperor Palpatine, given that it helps to connect all parts of the Star Wars Saga. While the concept is intriguing on paper, its execution leaves room for improvement. Introducing Smith as Palpatine alongside or instead of McDiarmid would have only added to the complexity and further controversy in the storyline.
Starfighter Makes It Even Better That Matt Smith Never Played Palpatine
In his performances in projects like “House of the Dragon,” “Last Night in Soho,” and to some extent, “The Crown,” Smith demonstrates a knack for portraying characters with a sinister side. This talent makes him an ideal candidate for a Star Wars antagonist. He has proven he can be both chilling and enraged, yet there’s always a layer of complexity to these roles as well. The prospect of him going up against Gosling in “Starfighter” is intriguing, and had he played Emperor Palpatine six years ago (and assuming this villain isn’t the return of Palpatine), it wouldn’t have been possible.
In order to keep Star Wars engaging and fresh, it’s important to introduce new antagonists beyond the iconic figures like Palpatine, Darth Vader, and Maul. Characters who seem like mere copies of these beloved characters are not enough. The upcoming character Smith in Starfighter, set a few years after The Rise of Skywalker, presents an opportunity to create a compelling new villain for the big screen, something that Star Wars fans have been eagerly awaiting in this galaxy far, far away.
On May 22nd, 2026, you can catch the adventures of The Mandalorian and Grogu. Meanwhile, get ready for the space journey in Star Wars: Starfighter, which hits theaters on May 28th, 2027.
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2025-08-06 21:44