Anakin Skywalker's Force Ghost Was In Concept Art For Star Wars: The Force Awakens

While it turns out Obi-Wan Kenobi made his way -- kind of -- into Star Wars: The Force Awakens, one voice we never heard was that of Anakin Skywalker.

Well, it turns out there was a point where at least somebody thought he would appear in the film. Newly-released concept art shows that the Force ghost of Luke's father may have been planned to appear at one point.

Making Star Wars revealed as much courtesy of the newly-released The Art Of Star Wars: The Force Awakens book, which provides a couple of looks at a possible Anakin ghost:

The art also seems to indicate that there's still a little bit of Darth Vader left in Anakin's Force ghost, leading the site to speculate that perhaps should he appear in an upcoming movie, Anakin's light side and Vader's dark could be in conflict.

There have been recent, unsubstantiated rumors that Star Wars Episode II and III star Hayden Christensen might appear in one of the forthcoming Star Wars films, although even if you believe those rumors it's hard to guess whether it might be as a Force ghost in an Episode film or as a living, breathing Jedi or Sith in an upcoming Star Wars Story installment, at least some of which are set in the universe's past.

Much of the Star Wars universe's history remains unmined since Disney has rebooted the Expanded Universe in an attempt to give the movies more creative freedom.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan & Abrams, features a cast including actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'o, Gwendoline Christie, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow. They will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens hit theaters December 18, 2015, kicking off a new trilogy of Saga films as Episodes VIII and IX are already scheduled. The film garnered a record $247 million at the domestic box office and $529 million globally in its opening weekend.