Darth Vader returns in new 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' trailer - CNET

When fans first heard that "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" would be getting reshoots to make the darker tones a bit lighter, some wondered if the end product would be the kind of Star Wars movie worthy of a lightsaber salute.

On Thursday, Disney and Lucasfilm released a new "Rogue One" movie trailer that put all our worries on hold.

In the trailer, we see ominous shots of a hovering Star Destroyer, Rebel Pilots in shackles, a very tall robot K-2SO spouting the odds of failure, AT-ATs in battle, the Death Star and yes, even a glimpse of Darth Vader in all his glory.

As the first Star Wars spinoff movie, "Rogue One" takes place between "Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" and "Episode IV - A New Hope", where resistance fighters work against all odds to intercept Death Star plans.

Starring actors Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen, Ben Mendelsohn, Forest Whitaker, Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk, the first "Rogue One" trailer showed a dark tone that harkens back to "Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back."

"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" is scheduled to hit theaters on December 16 in the US and UK and December 15 in Australia.