Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is back in theatres for its 20th anniversary, but during the celebrations, some unexpected history about the franchise surfaced. In a recent interview with Variety, Ian McDiarmid — the actor behind Emperor Palpatine — revealed that there were once serious discussions about a Star Wars TV series centered on Palpatine’s backstory.
McDiarmid explained that the series would have explored the rise of the Sith Lord, including his relationship with Darth Plagueis the Wise. This is the same Plagueis Palpatine references during his pivotal scene with Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith, casually revealing he murdered his own master to gain power.
When asked if any deeper material was shared with him during the making of the prequels, McDiarmid said:
Just the story of Darth Plagueis the Wise. It’s fairly obvious that my character murdered Plagueis on his road to becoming Palpatine. But beyond that, no. With George, you didn’t discuss anything really. You turn up and you shoot.”
McDiarmid also noted that George Lucas didn’t tend to share much lore with actors beyond what was needed for their scenes. The TV project, like many early Star Wars ideas, never made it to production.
Fans have long wanted to see a full exploration of Palpatine’s early years and Sith training. Hopes briefly resurfaced during The Acolyte finale, when an alien figure — widely speculated to be Darth Plagueis — appeared. However, with The Acolyte cancelled, that potential thread was cut short.
It’s clear the story of Darth Plagueis and Palpatine still has a strong pull. With so much of Palpatine’s history left unexplored, the idea of a dedicated series or film remains very much alive. For now, fans can head back to cinemas and relive the beginning of his dark rise in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, in theatres for a limited time.