As hubbub continues to surround the now-month-old Star Wars: The Force Awakens, not much news has been released regarding 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Today, however, a new report claims that writer/director Christopher McQuarrie was brought on to fix the script of the Star Wars spin-off film, which was previously handled by Gary Whitta and Chris Weitz.
McQuarrie’s work may have “saved” the Rogue One spin-off, according to a source that spoke with Birth. Movies. Death. His work will remain quiet, however, with little possibility of his name appearing on the final credits of the film. Sources close to the production noted that even after work from Whitta and Weitz, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story still “wasn’t exactly in the right place,” leading to the quiet hiring of McQuarrie on the project.
Previously, McQuarrie was known for writing and directing Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, earning him the slot as the director for the upcoming sixth installment in the Tom Cruise-starring franchise. He also knows his way around a troubled shoot, having been brought in to course correct World War Z with notably satisfying results.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will focus on the backstory of how the Rebels managed to get the Death Star plans ahead of the events of A New Hope. The film will star Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, and others, and has a release date of December 16, 2016.
