Star Wars: Forest Whitaker Excited for Return as Saw Gerrera

12/21/2016 02:35 pm EST

Earlier this week, news of Forest Whitaker's return to the Star Wars universe following his introduction in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story got fans of the world's largest movie franchise excited. They weren't alone. Whitaker himself shares their emotion.

Whitaker, who played the original rebel Saw Gerrera ins Rogue One, took to Twitter to share his excitement with fans on Wednesday. Attached to his tweet is a YouTube video detailing the news of his return to the Star Wars franchise which won't come in live action, as those fans who have watched Rogue One suspected, but rather in animated form on Star Wars Rebels. Whitaker will be lending his voice to the character on Disney XD.

Still, Whitaker's live action role as Saw Gerrara should not be written off completely. Based on the massive success of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, non-saga films are destined to be the future of the Star Wars franchise. As opportunities arise to tell stories from the unexplored pockets of the franchise's galaxy far, far away, the possiblities of seeing Saw Gerrera once more will only increase.

The next movie on the Star Wars franchise's release schedule is the highly anticipated Episode VIII. The subtitle of the film has yet to be revealed. Following the eighth installment of the Skywalker saga will be a standalone Han Solo: A Star Wars Story movie before Episode IV rounds out the saga in 2019.

Rather than de-aging Han Solo in his film, as a couple of characters were for Rogue One, Disney and Lucasfilm have elected to recast the role with Alden Ehrenreich stepping into Harrison Ford's massive shoes.

MORE STAR WARS:

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Spoiler-Free Review | All the Star Wars Rebels Easter Eggs in Rogue One | Who are the Characters in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story? | Kathleen Kennedy Hopes Genuinely Female Heroines in Star Wars Change Film Industry | Donnie Yen Designed A New Martial Arts Style for Star Wars | Rogue One's Riz Ahmed Defends the Star Wars Prequels | Star Wars Rebels 2017 Premiere Date, Possible Rogue One Connection Revealed

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is now playing in theaters. Star Wars Rebels airs Saturday's at 8:30 p.m. ET on Disney XD.

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