Potential spoilers ahead so if you are sensitive, steer well clear…

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We first heard the rumor about Grand Moff Tarkin possibly making an appearance in Rogue One back in August 2015. Shortly before director Gareth Edwards’ standalone film debuted in theaters, Entertainment Weekly confirmed Tarkin’s inclusion which no doubt resulted in huge smiles on the faces of scores of Star Wars fans. It also raised questions as to how the production team would be accomplishing this goal of having such an iconic character from the Original Trilogy appear in a new film all these decades later.

In an article posted over on the NY Times website, Lucasfilm VFX guru John Knoll provides readers with detailed information on how the character of Tarkin was brought back to life on screen in Rogue One. It’s a fascinating article (as is all Star Wars BTS-related articles), so check out some of the key points from the story below and then take the supplied source link for the full read which also touches on how a young Princess Leia was brought back as well.