James Earl Jones Stepping Back from Voicing Darth Vader

HUGE news has just been announced in the Star Wars universe.

Darth Vader

And no, we’re not talking about the new Baby Yoda collection coming out soon or the LEGO sets that are on sale for a limited time (although those are a pretty big deal). A Star Wars legend has just announced that he will be stepping back from voicing his villain after nearly 40 years.

James Earl Jones, age 91, has been the voice of Darth Vader for nearly 40 years, debuting as the role in 1977. And according to Deadline, James has signed over the rights to his voice to filmmakers using new AI technology because he “wished to keep Vader alive.”

While actor David Prowse was the man behind the costume in the original films, Jones has provided the deep tones of the villain since the beginning. Besides his work in the franchise, Jones is a celebrated EGOT and received an honorary Academy Award in 2011 after being nominated for Best Actor in the 1970 The Great White Hope.

©Jim Spellman/WireImage

Jones made his most recent appearance voicing the character in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+. If you’re looking forward to more Star Wars content coming to the platform in the near future, check out the release date and new trailer for Tales of the Jedi and the release date for Season 2 of The Bad Batch!

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 10: (L-R) Dave Filoni and Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm, speak onstage during D23 Expo 2022 at Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on September 10, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)

As always, stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Disney and Star Wars news.