- Iconic actor passed away earlier this month aged 93
- Jones voiced Star Wars’ iconic Darth Vader since the character was first seen on screen in 1977
- Now a contract means that he will continue to be the voice of the Sith Lord
While James Earl Jones has now sadly passed away, it does not mean that his iconic voicing of Star Wars’ Darth Vader will end.
Contract signed
It has emerged that in 2022 the actor, who was aged 93 when he passed away, signed a contract that allows Lucasfilm to recreate his voice via artificial intelligence (AI). Vanity Fair reported that Jones signed the contract before he retired from being Vader’s voice in 2022.
It means LucasFilm can recreate his voice through technology made by tech company Respeecher – a technology that was shown to Jones before the contract was signed.
The last time Jones recorded Vader’s voice in person was in 2019 for Star Wars: Episode XI – The Rise of Skywalker. This is, to date, the last movie in the main franchise.
Vanity Fair added that an AI version of Jones’ voice has already been used in the Star Wars universe, in the 2022 Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Long career
Jones, known for his distinctive baritone, had a career in the movie industry over more than seven decades. His first movie appearance came in 1964 in the huge hit Dr Strangelove. He then worked consistently right up to 2021, when he reprised his role of King Joffer in the sequel to Coming to America.
It has yet to be announced if Obi-Wan Kenobi will have a second season – although star Ewan McGregor has indicated he would like to reprise his role as the titular Jedi – but it if does, then we could again have the Vader voice we know and fear.
