In an appearance on British TV, Mads Mikkelsen opens a discussion of his role in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story by saying, “I can say absolutely nothing about it. I can, but I’d have to kill you and all the audience.” Almost immediately after he blows the identity of his character wide open.
Whelp, looks the video has been pulled.
Speaking with Sky News, Mikkelsen discussed his role in the next Star Wars movie, Rogue One, about a Rebel Alliance mission lead by Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) to steal the plans to the first Death Star. “I read the script. It was very beautiful and Felicity is playing this lovely, young and strong woman and I play her father,” Mikkelsen said. “That was too much, I’m sorry.”
Nevertheless, the host attempted to squeeze a little more out of him, asking that he confirm the long-running rumor that Darth Vader would appear (he will, though it’s not yet “official”). “Yes, I can, but I won’t,” Mikkelsen said.
A number of fan theories have attempted to slot Jyn Erso into the ongoing Skywalker family drama at the heart of the Star Wars saga, with one mostly debunked fan theory asserting that Jyn Erso will turn out to be Rey’s real mother. So it’s interesting to see that Rogue One will be building its own family drama between Erso and her father.
This could also mean a smaller role for Mikkelsen in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story than previously suspected. Will he still be part of the mission or will his role be largely reduced to setting up Jyn Erso’s character?
Ooh, intriguing possibility: maybe Mikkelsen will be playing an Imperial officer (he’s previously said he won’t be playing the bad guy), making his daughter’s rebellion both political and familial.
We’ll know soon enough, when Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters on Dec. 16.
