Alan Tudyk Talks Up Practical Effects On Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

As an actor, Alan Tudyk is no stranger to depicting life in space. Long-time fans of the actor will recognize his voice from the likes of Halo 3: ODST, but Tudyk is perhaps best known for his role in Joss Whedon’s beloved cult sci-fi series Firefly, where he piloted the show’s smuggler ship Serenity as Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburne. Now, more than a decade later, the actor is headed into space once more for Gareth Edwards’ quasi-prequel, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

While promoting his Vimeo web series Con Man, Tudyk touched base on the Star Wars offshoot. Designed as the first installment in Disney’s Anthology series, Edwards’ space-faring adventure charts the daring mission to steal blueprints of the original Death Star from beneath the nose of the Empire.

Yes, everyone’s attention may be firmly focused on The Force Awakens and the imminent release of the film’s new trailer, but Tudyk’s comments reveal that Edwards and Co. are remaining true to the Star Wars franchise in the sense that the standalone feature will double down on practical effects. Rather than walking onto a set adorned with swathes green screen, the actor teased some of the physical creations that occupy a place on Disney’s production.

“You are amazed at what you can look at, because it is a physical world, if there are creatures, then there are creatures; if there are spaceships, then there are spaceships. It’s not huge swaths of green hung from the rafters. You have it all there, and if you don’t have it there then you go fly some place that does.”

It’s a nostalgic and welcome approach from Edwards that appears to be emblematic of Disney’s rebooted Star Wars universe. While this year’s The Force Awakens will lay the foundations for the future of the franchise, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is primed to circle back to where it all began, focusing on an adventure – one which happens to the most daring heist in the galaxy – that for once doesn’t involve the Skywalker family in one form or another.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will acts as the first installment in Disney’s galactic Anthology series when it launches into theaters on December 16, 2016.