Trailer for Star Wars spin-off Rogue One teases Darth Vader's big screen return

The new trailer for Star Wars spin-off movie Rogue One has landed - and it ends with a tantalising glimpse of Darth Vader.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is set before the original Star Wars film A New Hope (1977), but is not part of the main series.

The two-minute clip shows the grip the evil Empire has on the galaxy, with the Death Star, TIE fighters and Imperial shuttles out in force.

British actress Felicity Jones is the lead star as Jyn Erso, the head of a Rebel Alliance team.

The film also features Diego Luna as Cassian Andor and Forest Whitaker, who plays Erso's mentor Saw Gerrera, as well as Riz Ahmed, Donnie Yen and Ben Mendelsohn.

Instead of focusing on the Skywalker family, Rogue One tells the story of a rebel group's plot to steal the plans to the Galactic Empire's Death Star.

And Darth Vader returns in the closing seconds of the trailer.

The return of one of the most famous villains in film history has been rumoured since the standalone Star Wars films were first announced.

Director Gareth Edwards, whose previous credits include Godzilla, is making the movie.

He recently admitted that James Earl Jones - who provides the voice of Darth Vader - had come in to record some dialogue for a character in Rogue One, but refused to confirm exactly who it was.

Darth Vader was seen dying in Return of the Jedi in 1983, while Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader in Star Wars prequel Episode III: Revenge of the Sith in 2005.

Rogue One is due to open on December 16.