The Force is strong in "Star Wars: Rogue One." British actor Peter Cushing, who passed away in 1994, will be on the Star Wars spin-off to reprise his role as the formidable Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin from beyond the grave.

A source told Daily Mail that the producers are planning a comeback for the famous Grand Moff, and they're not aiming to recast for the iconic role. Reports say that Cushing will be digitally recreated for "Rogue One," an ambitious attempt that will help long-time Star Wars fans connect to the new branch of the franchise.

"This is one of the most complex and costly CGI re-creations ever," the source said to Daily Mail. "Cushing is a pivotal plot line as he was the one to create Darth Vader and there's a whole back story that will come out."

Tarkin was one of the most notable supporters of Palpatine in "Star Wars IV: A New Hope," and the Grand Moff went down with the first Death Star in the Battle of Yavin at the end of the film. The upcoming "Rogue One" will follow a group of rebels who are planning to steal the plans for that same Death Star, a key mission that directly kicked off the entire plot of the Star Wars journey.

Aside from Grand Toff Tarkin, Cushing is known for playing memorable roles such as Dr. Frankenstein, Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes. It's not an easy feat to recreate such an important actor and character. To accomplish this, the team is working hard to make it as realistic as possible.

"They are going through hours and hours of old footage from the horror movies to recreate his legs and feet to produce realistic movements," said the source. "It is eerie to see someone who has been dead for so long come to life on a screen."

Tarkin is not the only former villain rumored to appear in the Star Wars spin-off. Earlier in the summer, a report from Birth. Movies. Death. stated that Darth Vader will be part of the highly anticipated film. Although it was not revealed how big of a role he will play, a source confirmed that the franchise's most famous character will actually appear on the big screen for "Rogue One."

If director Gareth Edwards pushes through with Cushing's re-emergence, the actor will join an impressive cast for "Rogue One," including Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, Ben Mendelsohn, Forest Whitaker, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Mads Mikkelsen, and Alan Tudyk.

"Star Wars: Rogue One" is set to hit theaters on December 16, 2016.