Will Tom Hiddleston Star as Young Palpatine in the new Disney+ Series? Viral poster debunked

A viral poster featuring Tom Hiddleston as a young Emperor Palpatine has set the internet buzzing with speculation about a potential Disney+ prequel series. The poster, titled Palpatine: A Star Wars Story, depicts Hiddleston in Sith robes and with a brooding expression, fueling rumors that he had been cast as a younger version of the iconic Star Wars villain.

The speculation began with a post on the Facebook page YODA BBY ABY, a platform known for posting satirical and fan-made content. The page falsely claimed that Hiddleston had been cast as young Palpatine, one of the main antagonists in the Star Wars franchise.

Fans eagerly discussed the potential of seeing Hiddleston in the Star Wars universe. Yet, the claim was completely baseless, originating from a satirical post rather than official sources.

Despite the excitement generated by the misleading poster, there has been no official confirmation of Hiddleston’s involvement in any Star Wars projects.

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Did Disney+ cast Tom Hiddleston as a young Palpatine?

So far Disney+ has not announced casting Tom Hiddleston as young Palpatine. The English actor's history of playing morally complex and charismatic characters, most notably his iconic portrayal of MCU's Loki, has made him a fan favorite choice for major superhero or fantasy franchises.

His talent for bringing depth to enigmatic personalities has drawn comparisons to Emperor Palpatine’s cunning and manipulative traits. This makes the idea of him joining the Star Wars universe especially exciting for many fans.

Tom Hiddleston would be perfect for the young Darth Sidious. byu/Im_Latlas inStarWars

This isn’t the first time rumors of him playing Palpatine have surfaced. In 2020 and 2021, similar claims about Hiddleston playing a young Palpatine emerged after fans proposed the idea online. Back then, the speculation stemmed from a fan-made post of Hiddleston as Palpatine by a digital artist who goes by Apexform. However, this was never substantiated by official sources.

Another source that added to the rumor was a Facebook page called The Sith Archives. The page contributed to the speculation by discussing the possibility of Tom Hiddleston portraying Palpatine and sharing yet another fan-made poster on November 17, 2024, further fueling the buzz around the actor’s supposed involvement.

While the idea remains hypothetical, it highlights the actor’s enduring popularity and the creative enthusiasm of Star Wars fans.

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What are Disney and Tom Hiddleston working on now?

Currently, neither Disney nor Lucasfilm, the home to the Star Wars franchise, has announced any series centered on Emperor Palpatine’s early life. While Disney is developing several Star Wars spin-offs, including The Acolyte (premiered in June 2024) and Skeleton Crew (releasing on December 3, 2024), none of these projects involve Tom Hiddleston.

Meanwhile, Tom Hiddleston remains occupied with other projects. The actor recently wrapped up Loki Season 2 on Disney+, earning critical acclaim for his portrayal of the god of mischief.

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While the idea of Tom Hiddleston joining the Star Wars universe excites fans, it remains purely speculative.

For now, Hiddleston’s connection to Star Wars is limited to fan-driven creativity, with no official projects on the horizon. Fans will have to wait for credible announcements to see if the actor ever ventures into the galaxy far, far away.