There have been a lot of surprises at this weekend’s Star Wars Celebration Europe, and this may be the biggest one yet! Lucasfilm has revealed plans for a Darth Vader virtual reality movie that will put viewers in the path of Star Wars‘ most iconic villain.
Via The Verge, Lucasfilm’s creative executive Pablo Hidalgo said that the Darth Vader VR film will be an original Star Wars narrative experience written by David Goyer, who was also on hand for the announcement. Goyer is best known for co-writing Christopher Nolan‘s Dark Knight trilogy, as well as the Blade trilogy, Man of Steel, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The project is being crafted by Lucasfilms’ xLab, the division behind the upcoming lightsaber game Trials on Tatooine. However, this is much more ambitious in terms of scope and story.
The Darth Vader VR movie will be a part of the new canon for the franchise, and fans will be able to have some impact on the story as it unfolds. “You are the visitor in this story that is happening in and around you, and to a certain extent you might even have some effect on,” explained Goyer. “You can pick up things, you can open things. You can push things, you can walk. You can touch characters.” The report notes that the VR film has a “persistent world,” one that goes through day and night cycles that continues even after the story has been initially completed by fans.
Goyer added that “it’s surprisingly very emotional. It can make you sad, and make you lean in, and make you feel for a character in a way you haven’t before. In a way that you can’t really do in any other medium. And it can scare you.” According to Goyer, the Darth Vader VR movie could be out in a year or two, but a firm release date has not been announced.
While the story reportedly won’t be an adaptation of previous Darth Vader tales, Marvel’s recent Darth Vader comic book series had an excellent take on the title character that portrayed him as master of manipulation and an unexpected tactical genius. We’d love to see those aspects of Vader’s personality show up in this VR project!
What do you think about the Darth Vader VR movie? Embrace your feelings and share them with us in the comment section below!
Image: Lucasfilm
