James Earl Jones has officially retired from his voiceover role as Darth Vader after voicing the character since Star Wars’ film debut in 1977.
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The actor signed over his voice rights as the iconic villain, and the rights to the role are now controlled by Lucasfilm and Ukrainian-based A.I. audio company Respeecher. According to ScreenRant, the audio company worked on The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi. However, Jones met with both studios to discuss their plans for Darth Vader.
Fans reportedly speculated that Jones’ voice had a slight difference during the Sith Lord’s appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi and assumed Hayden Christensen provided the voice through a modulator.
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Jones provided the voiceover work in 1977 after actor David Prowse’s voice didn’t sound menacing enough for the villain’s role. He said he was picked by George Lucas and received $7,000 for the role. Unknowingly at the time, the film would become a billion-dollar franchise.
“George wanted, pardon the expression, a dark voice. So he hires a guy born in Mississippi, raised in Michigan, who stutters. And that’s the voice. That’s me. I lucked out, from all these so-called handicaps, for a job that paid $7,000! And I thought that was good money. And I got to be a voice on a movie.”
Since then, Jones has provided the voice for big and small projects for the character’s various appearances.
Fans react to the news of Jones’ retirement as Darth Vader, but the character will appear in future installments.
Upon learning the news, fans were saddened that Jones would retire from his voiceover work as Darth Vader. However, they thanked him for providing the voice for one of the most iconic characters in movie history.
The owner of one of cinema’s most epic and iconic voices of all-time, James Earl Jones, has retired from voicing Darth Vader.
Thank you for literally everything. May your retirement be full of love and peace. I’m tearing up right now just writing this. ❤️❤️❤️ #thankyoujames pic.twitter.com/wzZ12luAdo
— MaceAhWindu (@MaceAhWindu) September 24, 2022
Thank you James Earl Jones.
For everything you have done for Star Wars and it’s community.
The Force will be with you,
always. pic.twitter.com/g5stjDnbzl— Justin Trudell (@Trudell_DM) September 24, 2022
This is all I need. James Earl Jones has retired and given them explicit permission to use his voice through archival work and artificial recreation. You will never see me complaining when they artificially recreate his voice, either. If he’s fine with it, I am. https://t.co/fArQ03II8E
— toonraider (@ToonRaiderXD) September 23, 2022
The Voice of Cinema’s greatest villain, James Earl Jones, has officially retired from voicing Darth Vader
For the rest of my life, I will always love James Earl Jones for what he gave to Star Wars and my life. #WeLoveYouJames pic.twitter.com/m2kmLL0lqS
— Okiro (@TheFirstOkiro) September 24, 2022