Darth Vader And James Earl Jones To Return In 2014

There's no doubt that Darth Vader will once again see airtime voiced by James Earl Jones at this point, but how and when – you might not expect. For the first episode – an extended release available immediately for purchase from chain stores across the United States – Star Wars Rebels has been released as "Spark of Rebellion." And what's a good rebellion without a dash of Darth?

Darth Vader will be added to a new version of this one-off made-for-TV movie. Spark of Rebellion will be shown on ABC on October 26th, just in time for some pre-Halloween celebration action. The addendum won't necessarily change the outcome of the movie, but it will add some juice to the fire when you see the rest of the series.

Above you'll see what Darth Vader sounded like before James Earl Jones came onboard. This comes from "Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy," also included in the Star Wars DVD set from 2004.

Supervising Director Dave Filoni apparently had the opportunity to add to the product and took that opportunity with swiftness. So if you're a "purist" and hate all changes to Star Wars video, no matter how recent, he's your guy.

"We've added a scene which gives audiences insight into the Inquisitor," said Filoni this week, "and includes a cameo by Darth Vader voiced by the distinguished actor James Earl Jones."

Below you'll see the first "extended preview" for Star Wars: Rebels. This is not the movie, but the TV show – both part of the same universe. The same universe that shares the universe with the Star Wars movies too, of course.