Mr Cushing played Grand Moff Tarkin in the original 1977 Star Wars, in which he gives the order to destroy Princess Leia’s home planet of Alderaan using the formidable Death Star.

He passed away in 1994, but a digital reconstruction of Mr Cushing reprised his role in the 2016 prequel Rogue One, which follows a group of rebels who discover the means to destroy the planet-killing space station.

The film’s production company claims that it had the right to do so based on Mr Cushing’s original 1970s contract as well as having received permission from his estate.

However, Tyburn Film Productions, owned by a friend of the late British actor, claims it owns the exclusive rights to resurrect him because of a 1993 agreement made during Mr Cushing’s life.

The purported agreement was allegedly struck as Mr Cushing became terminally ill while working on a film for the company.

The High Court in London has allowed the case to go ahead to a “full factual inquiry”.