By George & Josh Bate
As we ring in a new year, we also think it’s important to honor the lives of those who passed away in 2025 and whose contributions to a galaxy far, far away will never be forgotten.
Vince Zampella
Vince Sampella passed away at the age of 55 following a car accident. As co-founder of Respawn Entertainment, Zampella was the developer of the Star Wars: Jedi games. He is also known as the lead developer of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa
Cary-Hiroyuki-Tagawa sadly passed away at the age of 75 this year. Tagawa voiced Aldrich Wren in Star Wars Rebels and is known for his roles in Mortal Kombat (1995) and The Last Emperor.
Tom Stoppard
Tom Stoppard passed away at the age of 88 this year. Stoppard was a famous playwright who did uncredited script polished for Revenge of the Sith and reportedly wrote the iconic Darth Plagueis speech.
Derek Chafer
Derek Chafer, a stuntman who played stormtroopers in the original Star Wars and Return of the Jedi, passed away at the age of 90 this year.
Drew Struzan
Legendary artist Drew Struzan sadly passed away this year at the age of 78 following a battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Struzan designed the posters for the original six Star Wars movies, in addition to iconic posters for Back to the Future, Blade Runner, Indiana Jones, Hook, and more.
David Weitzner
David Weitzner, a top Hollywood marketing executive who oversaw the promotional campaign for the original Star Wars in 1977, passed away at the age of 86 this year.
Terence Stamp
Terence Stamp passed away this year at the age of 87. Stamp played Chancellor Valorum in The Phantom Menace and is known for his performance as General Zod in Superman II.
Kenneth Colley
Kenneth Colley passed away at the age of 87 this year due to complications from COVID and pneumonia. Colley played Admiral Piett in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
Allan Freeman
Allan Freeman, a marketing executive who worked on the publicity campaign for the original Star Wars, passed away at the age of 88 this year. Freeman also worked on the campaigns for The Shining, The Omen, Rain Man, Dances with Wolves, and The Silence of the Lambs.
Bruce Logan
Bruce Logan, the visual effects artist who orchestrated the destruction of the Death Star in the original Star Wars (amongst other effects for the film), sadly passed away at the age of 78.
Les Dilley
Les Dilley, the art designer designer of the original Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, passed away at the age of 84.
Patty Maloney
Patty Maloney, who played Chewbacca’s son Lumpy in The Star Wars Holiday Special, passed away at the age of 89 this year.
Clive Revill
Clive Revill, who voiced the Emperor in The Empire Strikes Back, passed away this year at the age 94. May the Force be with you always.
Julian Holloway
Julian Holloway, who voiced Almec (the character with some of the coolest Mandalorian armor) & Captain Kilian in The Clone Wars, sadly passed away at the age of 80. The English actor was best known for his roles in the Carry On series and Doctor Who.
Gary Fisher
Carrie Fisher’s dog Gary sadly passed away and crossed over the rainbow bridge to be with his mom this year.
David Lynch
David Lynch sadly passed away at the age of 78 this year. Lynch was one of the greatest and most innovative filmmakers of all time. George Lucas approached him to direct Return of the Jedi, but Lynch turned it down.
Bob Machray
Bob Machray passed away this year. Machray provided the voice of Red Leader Garven Dreis in the video game Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader and an Imperial Base Commander in 2003’s Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike.
Martin Gordon
Martin Gordon, who portrayed Vaneé in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, passed away this year at the age of 97.
Nicky Katt
Nicky Katt, who voiced Atton Rand in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, passed away this year.
Maroussia Frank
Maroussia Frank, who played Old Woman in the Andor Season 2 episode “Ever Been to Ghorman?”, passed away this year at the age of 84.
Jules Walter
Jules Walter sadly passed away this year. He played a guard in Jabba’s Palace in Return of the Jedi.
Jim Ward
Renowned voice actor Jim Ward passed away this year at the age of 66. Ward voiced C-3PO, Kam Solusar, and Sedriss QL in the Dark Empire: The Collector’s Edition, Arca Jeth in the Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith audio drama, and various background characters in Star Wars video games, such as Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.