'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' will bring back Darth Vader

The infamous villain of the Star Wars movie series, Darth Vader, is set to return for the next edition Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

It's been officially confirmed that Lord Vader will make an appearance in the upcoming spin-off from director Gareth Edwards which is due on December 16, reported Entertainment Weekly.

Set before the events of the original Star Wars, Rogue One follows Felicity Jones's Jyn Erso, a galactic outlaw who is given a chance to come clean by leading the effort to steal the Death Star plans.

"She has been detained by the Rebellion and is being given an opportunity to be useful. And by being useful, it may commute her sentence. She becomes a kind of Joan of Arc in the story," Kathleen Kennedy, the producer said.

Some interesting details about the team led by Jones' Jyn Erso to take on the Empire have also been revealed.

Mads Mikkelsen will play Erso's father described as a scientist whose knowledge is sought by both sides. Ben Mendelsohn is set to play a villainous role of an ambitious officer, who's eager to earn the favour of the Emperor and avoid the wrath of his black-masked enforcer.

Alan Tudyk will be seen as a robot named K-2SO.

"Kaytoo is a little bit like Chewbacca's personality in a droid's body. He doesn't care about what you think," Edwards said.