Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to welcome Darth Vader back into the live-action “Star Wars” franchise. Sure, we only last saw him in “Revenge of the Sith,” but admit it, that wasn’t the Darth Vader we knew and loved from the original trilogy of “Star Wars” films. And yes, he was in the TV show “Star Wars Rebels,” but we haven’t had the honest-to-goodness Darth Vader grace the silver screen for a long time.

According to Birth Movies Death, Vader won’t be coming back through the main series of films, but rather through “Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One,” the first spinoff film of many to come. For those who don’t know, “Rogue One” follows a ragtag team of Rebels as they attempt to swipe the plans for the Death Star, so it makes sense that Vader would at least make an appearance in the flick.

The outlet’s source went on to say that Vader would show up via holo projection, but didn’t say if he’d show up physically. The source was also tightlipped about whether or not Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin would show up in the movie. The last time we saw this guy was also in “Revenge of the Sith,” but it was only in one distant shot–with him covered in prosthetics, no less. Not exactly the kind of thing we’d want to see in a prolonged performance. As such, wouldn’t surprise me if they dodged any potential appearances.

Count me excited to see Vader back in action as the unrelenting baddie. In both “Return of the Jedi” and “Revenge of the Sith” he was hampered by those pesky emotions. Rest assured, he won’t have any conflicting emotions with the protagonists ofthis film to hold him back from letting loose. We’ll literally be seeing the man in the prime of his evil.

There’s no word yet on who the main villain of “Rogue One” is set to be, but now that we know Vader will be making the rounds, whomever our band of brothers are up against will likely be reporting to him. And since the Jedi are all extinct in this time in history, he or she will probably not have any special Jedi abilities of any sort, which will be a departure for the series.

“Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One” is slated for a December 16, 2016 release.

Are you excited to see Darth Vader again, or does he belong locked away in the first six-movie canon?

Sources: Birth Movies Death