Although George Lucas long argued that Star Wars is meant for kids, and that has been proven time and again throughout the franchise’s many decades, these themes and characters have also always seemed perfect for a horror story. From Darth Vader’s menacing suit and labored breathing (which Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord confirmed is perfectly creepy when emerging from the shadows) all the way to an undead Palpatine in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars movies and TV shows have frequently toed that line, leading fans to basically beg for a full-fledged horror movie set in the galaxy far, far away. For nearly 50 years, the franchise hasn’t fully embraced the horror genre, and although that’s just changed with a brand-new release, fans undoubtedly still won’t quite be satisfied.
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As of Sept. 1, Star Wars has released a brand-new book that is explicitly labeled a horror story. Written by Kiersten White, Hiding from the Dark: A Star Wars Horror Novel centers on a young girl, Bia, fleeing from Imperials on her home planet of Coruscant. However, Imperial officers and stormtroopers are far from her only problem, as she is being “hunted by a figure in black,” who is none other than Darth Vader. Already, this story isn’t going to be exactly what Star Wars audiences had in mind when they demanded a new horror story, as this is a book rather than a movie or even a show. However, there is yet another key factor making this not quite what fans asked for, as the book is for middle grade readers, meaning approximately 8 to 12 year olds. While this is still cool, especially for young readers, it’s a reminder of what horror story the franchise really needs to deliver.
Star Wars Needs to Revisit Darth Vader as a Horror Character, But This Time in an R-rated Movie
Recently, there have been rumors about a Darth Vader movie starring Hayden Christensen, but as incredible as such a project would no doubt be and as excited as fans have been, there is currently no confirmation or really even concrete evidence that talks are happening at Disney for this movie to be green lit. Even so, some of the discourse surrounding this movie has made one thing clear: many fans don’t just want a Darth Vader movie. They want a Darth Vader horror movie. Oddly enough, it sounds like the premise of this newly released book, despite being geared towards kids, is generally what some viewers have in mind. Yet, there’s no doubt that whatever is contained within Hiding from the Dark comes nowhere close to what these fans would want to see on screen.
Rather, there is a push very specifically for not just a Vader movie but an R-rated Darth Vader movie, and although that might feel like something Star Wars would never do, it’s actually an absolutely brilliant idea. Clearly, given the premise of this new book, Vader naturally lends himself to a horror story, and getting a movie that leans into his violence (as if him snapping a kid’s neck in Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn’t enough) on an R-rated level would be incredible to see. Whether Star Wars would ever actually do it, though, is another matter. Perhaps the rumors are true and Christensen is in talks for a Vader movie, at which point fans could hope to see that R-rating. In all likelihood, though, this will sadly remain just a dream project within the fanbase.
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