Darth Vader Anticipated To Appear in Friday’s New ‘Rogue One’ Trailer

Last week, Star Wars fans sleuthed out a surprise trailer for Rogue One hidden in an ABC listing, and Friday July 15 is the date it’s set to air. At 8:00 PM EST, ABC will show a one-hour special on the making of The Force Awakens, including a “3-minute trailer for ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'”–and the appearance of the most famous Sith Lord in the galaxy may very well be teased.

A panel on the new film will be held that morning in London at the Star Wars Celebration, a press event that’s been held in locales around the world semi-annually since 1999. As the Celebration will be discussing Rogue One around 11 AM EST, it can reasonably be expected that the trailer will be available to watch online before its scheduled network premiere.

Prior news on Rogue One‘s production has worried some fans of the recently-revived film franchise. While Star Wars Episode VIII wrapped principal photography on July 10, Rogue One has undertaken significant reshooting. As Geek Insider’s own Elise Yeakley has proposed, Disney may have requested a lighter take on the film’s more violent scenes–especially those with Darth Vader. Reportedly, 40 percent of the film is being reshot, but until the film hits theaters we won’t have an inkling about what was changed. However, many Star Wars fans (including yours truly) are remaining optimistic. Perhaps Friday’s trailer will provide everyone a deeper look at the series’ first live-action spin-off.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is set for wide release in North America on December 16, 2016. Stay tuned to Geek Insider for updates on Rogue One and more news from a galaxy far, far away!