Fresh off the success of Longlegs and The Monkey, horror director Osgood Perkins has proposed a bold and chilling Star Wars concept. During a recent Reddit AMA, Perkins was asked about a story he’d love to bring to life given the right budget and technology. His answer? “The collected dreams and nightmares of Darth Vader told as short stories.”
With his background in horror films like The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Perkins’ vision hints at a darker, more psychological take on Star Wars—one that could explore the terrifying depths of Anakin Skywalker’s tortured mind. His idea could take shape as either a Disney+ anthology series or a feature film, weaving together a collection of surreal and haunting vignettes drawn from Vader’s subconscious.
Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader is one of the most tragic arcs in cinematic history. From his childhood separation from his mother to his devastating duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the loss of Padmé, Anakin endured tremendous suffering before fully embracing the Dark Side. Even as the Emperor’s enforcer, his past never stopped haunting him. Perkins’ concept taps into this lingering trauma, imagining the horrors Vader relives each time he closes his eyes.
A Star Wars horror project would be unprecedented, but under Perkins’ direction, it could offer a gripping psychological exploration of Star Wars’ most iconic villain. Whether Disney will embrace such a bold departure for the franchise remains to be seen.