Alan Tudyk is a name that needs no introduction for sci-fi fans, and later this year the actor will take his first steps into the Star Wars universe with a role in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. According to new reports, the character set to be portrayed by Tudyk has been revealed, nine months before the film debuts in theaters.

[Potential Spoilers Follow]

According to Making Star Wars, Tudyk will play an Imperial Enforcer Droid, which has been reprogrammed to help the Rebels in their mission to steal the Death Star plans. The role is set to be a motion capture affair, with Tudyk lending his unique voice to the as-yet-unnamed character. As the actor’s fans no doubt know, it won’t be the first time that Tudyk has undertaken a motion capture or voice performance, having previously done so in multiple video games and animated films.

Star Wars: Rogue One Footage Description – A New Hope-Style Adventure – https://t.co/JxbpDHb8CN pic.twitter.com/CA93Cb9KIo — Screen Rant (@screenrant) March 4, 2016

The droid in question is said to resemble a cross between the Iron Giant and EV-9D9, sharing design features from both, according to Melty. In essence, it represents an evolution of the Super Battle Droids that graced the screen during the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Possessing several characteristics that set it apart from its forebears, however, the new Enforcer Droid reportedly stems from the idea that the Empire kept the Super Battle Droid in production, updating the design as time passed.

The droid’s chest plate apparently resembles the armor worn by Dengar in The Empire Strikes Back, and its shoulders are adorned with the circular Imperial logo visible on the helmets of TIE pilots. Much like artist Ralph McQuarrie’s early designs for IG-88, Tudyk’s droid is barrel chested. Standing roughly eight feet tall, the droid has two large eyes, and a mouthpiece similar to that of General Grievous, without any apparent moving parts. The droid’s cranium is apparently smooth, yet sits atop a detailed lower section. Its neck, meanwhile, is similar to (yet shorter than) the design of the classic Battle Droid, and it stand stiffly at attention.

Sketches of the droid were posted on Making Star Wars, though they were created by people who reportedly viewed the actual droid itself (the drawings weren’t done by Disney). While those images aren’t spot-on, their authors note that they capture the general design of the droid, which apparently fits in with the A New Hope era of Star Wars seamlessly.

http://t.co/1QPOjL0sLu What Alien Or Droid Is Alan Tudyk Playing In Star Wars: Rogue One? [Updated] #Games pic.twitter.com/euW5qF6rSX — FtLWarpdRIVE (@ftlwarpdrive) August 16, 2015

The droid’s design isn’t the first element of Rogue One to make its way into public ahead of the film’s release. Earlier this year, a photo of several new stormtroopers set to debut in the movie was released online, as the Inquisitr previously reported.

Other rumors surrounding the villains of Rogue One have also sprung up over the last year. According to these reports, Darth Vader will have a much stronger role in the film than was originally thought, and the audience will see the Sith lord on the battlefield as never before. Last year, it was also reported that Disney was working hard to create a groundbreaking digital performance of Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin, a role the deceased actor played in the original Star Wars.

Whatever role Alan Tudyk’s droid has in the film, fans have little time to wait for it to be revealed, as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will hit theaters in December.

[Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]