10 Movie Sequels That Recast Major Characters (For The Better)

2. Emperor Palpatine - Return Of The Jedi

War Machine Terrence Howard Don Cheadle
Lucasfilm

The Emperor made his first appearance in the Empire Strikes Back, in hologram form, and portrayed by actress Marjorie Eaton and a pair of superimposed chimpanzee eyes. For the Emperor's physical incarnation in Return of the Jedi, Ian McDiarmid was tapped to take on the role of Palpatine.

When it came time for the prequel trilogy, McDiarmid had aged into the role, allowing him to play the 'younger' version of the character, with no makeup required. Until, at least, his showdown with Samuel L. Jackson.

Even now, McDiarmid's Palpatine remains the definitive portrayal of the character, casting a shadow that looms over all Star Wars as we know it.

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A film critic and professional writer of over ten years, Joel Harley has a deep and abiding love of all things horror, Batman and Nicolas Cage. He can be found writing online and in print, all over the Internet and in especially good bookstores.