Most of Lucasfilm’s media outreach for Star Wars Rebels antagonists has been directed at The Inquisitor, a red lightsaber-yielding foe that the crew of the Ghost will soon learn is a worth adversary to their rebellious cause. Though The Inquisitor is the main Star Wars Rebels villain, he’s definitely not the only.
Meet Star Wars Rebels Agent Kallus, a throwback to the 1970s-era designs that heavily influenced the attire in Star Wars: A New Hope. With mutton chops any razor would fear, Agent Kallus is all business as he seeks to uphold the Emperor’s laws as a member of the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB).
Agent Kallus will be voiced by David Oyelowo, a highly sought after actor who has starred in Red Tails, The Butler, Lincoln, and will next be seen in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. Oyelowo describes Kallus’ job description is “to basically make sure everyone stays loyal. And anyone who gives a whiff of disloyalty has to be cut out. So, I guess you could safely say he’s a bad guy.”
While someone like Darth Vader prefers to say in the cushy confines of a Star Destroyer while the Stormtrooper grunts are out handling all the dirty work, Agent Kallus fights right alongside the troopers he commands. He wears a familiar Imperial uniform with a helmet based off the Star Destroyer Commander / Death Squad Commander Imperial soldier from A New Hope.
“I don’t know that Kallus would think that what he’s doing is really evil,” said showrunner Dave Filoni when describing Kallus’ motivations. “He’s just doing his job for the Empire, and he believes in the Empire… So, Kallus — definitely an interesting character and one to watch out for. Especially if you’re a rebel.”
Star Wars Rebels will premiere this fall with a one-hour special on Disney Channel, following by a series on Disney XD. We’ll learn more about what Lucasfilm has planned for the series at the Rebels Comic-Con panel from San Diego in a couple weeks.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the inspiration and design of Agent Kallus.
