For those of you not fortunate enough to attend the Star Wars Celebration currently going on at the Anaheim Covention Center you're probably (like me) keeping up with the leaked Videos online. You also may have caught the first glimpse at a new standalone film from the Star Wars anthology brilliantly titled Rogue One just before Disney blocked the video on all major websites.
Director Gareth Edward is aiming heavily on a more gritty realistic film he says, “It's called Star Wars” putting a heavy emphasis on the word wars. This isn't surprising considering Edwards who had previously worked on films such as Black Hawk Down, Zero Dark Thirty, and Saving Private Ryan. Which he modestly name-dropped during a discussion panel at the convention. The time line for this movie is set right in between Episode III and Episode IV of the Star Wars series, and based on rogue resistance fighters who are united in a plan to steal the plans for the Death Star.
Edwards was also noted saying that what he always loved about the Star Wars trilogy is that it was very black and white, with the line drawn between good and evil clearly defined. He wants Rogue One to focus on the gray area in the galaxy far, far away. Where the good guys can be bad and the bad guys can be good. Edwards instead wants to focus on a group that don't have magical powers, and the fact that the force will not be coming to save them...they have to do it themselves and focusing on real human issues. He wants to see fear, warmth, and humor.
All of this was heavily encouraged by George Lucas himself who wants to not only pick up the saga again, but also explore the stories that may exist in the Star Wars Universe. However the whole concept of Rogue One was pitched by John Knoll who is the chief creative office and visual effects supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic (a division of Lucasfilm)
Staring Felicity Jones who you might remember from Cheerful Weather for the Wedding....No? Okay maybe you remember her in smaller budget movies such as The Amazing Spider-man 2 and The Theory of Everything. We don't yet know her role in her film and everything is basically speculation at this point, but it's rumored that she will play a soldier and presumably the leader of the squadron.
The concept of a rogue squadron has actually been a part of the Star Wars Expanded Universe since 1996 and if you're a filthy casual like I am than you might find yourself scratching your head wondering what any of this has to do with Star Wars. Well strap yourself into your X-Wings we're going to make the jump to light-speed and discover a quick lesson on the saga of the best pilots in the galaxy.
There was a ten-volume series based around the Rogue Squadron that was reportedly inspired by the Star Wars: X-Wing space combat simulation video games. The Novels written by Michael A. Stockpole follows the adventures of Wedge Antilles and other starfighters who aim to recreate the legendary Rogue Squadron. Set during the beginning of a New Republic Era in the Star Wars Universe the novel focuses on the early development and training of the new attack force.
Wedge Antilles, who appears in the Star Wars movie series during the attack on the Death Star becomes the founder of the Red Squadron along side his friend Luke Skywalker, and seen again during Episodes V and VI leading what's later known as the Rogue Squadron. Wedge is noted as being the only pilot in the rebel alliance to survive both attacks on the Death Star, and both battles of Yavin and Endor.
Why is any of this important?
Because giving a little background on the series may give us some idea as to characters and events that we may see in the new installment of the series. Rogue One also takes place in the same time line as the Star Wars Rebels series and hinted that there may be some crossover between the two stories. Which also makes way for Darth Vader possibly being the films main protagonist.
Star Wars: Rogue One is scheduled to be released somewhere in December 2016.