Rogue One is, at least for director Gareth Edwards, a title that harbors a number of connotations – it derives from military speak, of course, but it could also be interpreted as a description of Felicity Jones’ battle-ready heroine, Jyn Erso.
That’s a character that is placed firmly in the spotlight in today’s fresh batch of stills for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Hailing from Making Star Wars, these pics drive home the point that, if J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens captured the spirit of the original Star Wars trilogy, Rogue One looks like it was ripped directly from another era in the best possible way.
Indeed, it’s a credit to Disney’s assembly of set designers and art directors that this fidelity leaps right off the page – the shot of Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), for instance, is a particular highlight – and we can hardly wait until the lights go down on December 16 and Edwards’ Anthology film plays out in full. Besides, given those looming reports of reshoots, it’s fair to say that Rogue One has its own share of doubters to prove wrong.
On board to help stage the greatest heist in all the galaxy are Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker.
Come December 16, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will expand Disney’s retooled universe in new and exciting directions, thrusting viewers – both long-time fans and potential newcomers – into a time period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. This, coupled with Edwards’ ‘boots on the ground’ cinematography has us cautiously optimistic for Disney’s maiden entry into the Anthology series.
