We know it all began with the stolen plans of a doomsday weapon and a Princess who led a double life as freedom fighter. But a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, there was a mission to steal those plans: Rogue One, the story of how a group of unlikely heroes unite to undertake a daring and seemingly impossible mission to steal the plans for the Death Star.
Directed by Monsters and Godzilla‘s Gareth Edwards from a script by After Earth‘s Gary Whitta and The Golden Compass‘ Chris Weitz, the film stars The Theory of Everything‘s Felicity Jones, Elysium‘s Diego Luna, Nightcrawler‘s Riz Ahmed, Lost River‘s Ben Mendelsohn, Ip Man‘s Donnie Yen, Gone with the Bullets‘ Jian Weng, Southpaw‘s Forest Whitaker, Hannibal‘s Mads Mikkelsen, and Con Man‘s Alan Tudyk, though with a soundtrack by Godzilla‘s Alexandre Desplat it will be the first live action Star Wars movie not to be scored by John Williams.
The first teaser has been released, and similar to the first glimpse of footage from The Force Awakens, the team are enthused to return to the Star Wars universe to understand the story which led up to the first major victory of the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire.
Kevin Gilmartin – It’s not much to go on, and I’m really not sure what to say. I think it looks promising and a somewhat darker an offering that we’ve previously seen in that far, far away galaxy. Certainly in terms of colour and tone it’s very muted compared with The Force Awakens; it doesn’t look like a happy film.
I immediately loved the soft piano refrain of the main theme tune, and I have to admit I really like that Inception noise. Not sure about the odd klaxon which starts about mid-way through, but I guess it sort of worked.
I’m looking forward to it. Not as much as I looked forward to The Force Awakens, but enough to have my hopes up.
Les Anderson – Did I see some stormtroopers actually hitting something? Looks very intriguing to me and am loving the retro-modern feel. The AT-ATs look pretty damn scary seen from ground level. I’ll go and see it.
Michael Flett – It’s only a teaser rather than a full trailer, but I like what I see, very much. I’ve loved both of Gareth Edwards’ films, and met him after the UK premiere of Monsters at the Edinburgh Film Festival. He’s great with actors and, having created all the special effects for that film himself in his bedroom, he knows how to use them to best effect to service a scene rather than take it over, and he understands how they are created.
Godzilla looked fantastic, but it remained about the characters, the ancient alpha predator and his flappy nemesis the backdrop against which their story played out, and I have no doubt he will be doing the same here.
I love his recreation of the galaxy of 1977; it genuinely looks like it could have been created at that time. That is the original Death Star, those are the original Star Destroyers that I saw in the cinema back in Aviemore. The way they move is right – it’s all digital but it was designed to look like it’s motion controlled models with all the limitations of those but all the realism which comes from genuine modelwork.
It has been asked why the Imperial General couldn’t have been alien – “make him blue like Thrawn,” somebody said, but that’s wrong for the period. If you look back at the original, the Imperials were, to a man (for there were no women!) white humans, and I think they very much want to keep it in the tone of the period it was set.
It was always the Rebels who embraced diversity, and fittingly it does strike me that – whether intentionally or not – the trailer features the same arrangement of characters as The Force Awakens‘ Rey, Finn and Poe, with English Felicity Jones’ Jyn Erso mirroring Daisy Ridley, a prominent black character in Forest Whitaker and Mexican Diego Luna the next best thing to Guatemalan Oscar Isaac – hey, it’s just over the border, right?
In many ways I feel like this is the film which the prequels should have been, the stuff which was happening just out of sight. Back to Massassi Temple on the fourth moon of Yavin!
They’ve recreated the base beautifully, and Mon Mothma looks fantastic. Who knows what else we’ll see – maybe even a trip to Dantooine!
It will be interesting to see where they go with this – it can’t end with a big space battle, or at least that was never the impression I had from what we know. This is about stealth and subterfuge.
At least we know that this time there shouldn’t be too many Bothans dying…
Dario Persechino – I am very excited for this. It is great to see the older Star Wars world on screen again.
Everything in The Force Awakens looked amazing but seeing those weird pointed back helmets, the green lined screens and Mon Mothma just gave me chills. What superb casting for that role too, she looks perfect!
I really want to know more about this time in the Rebellion’s history. Jyn Erso’s “This is a rebellion, isn’t it? I rebel” line is wonderful, and while I look forward to seeing our heroes more fully in the film I am more excited by the new Imperial baddie. White uniform, long cape, menacing without actually doing anything – him I want to know more about. While no blue skin was present, just the look and uniform immediately made me think of Timothy Zahn’s Grand Admiral Thrawn. I’m really hoping we have a good villain on our hands here.
I’m also looking forward to a movie without the Jedi playing a large role. No Skywalker bloodline sagas, just what the non-magical, non destiny beholden folk were doing to fight this rebellion from the ground level with no “super powers.” This looks like it could be something fresh and new for a story set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is scheduled for release on December 16th, 2016
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story teaser – reaction
Directed by Monsters and Godzilla‘s Gareth Edwards from a script by After Earth‘s Gary Whitta and The Golden Compass‘ Chris Weitz, the film stars The Theory of Everything‘s Felicity Jones, Elysium‘s Diego Luna, Nightcrawler‘s Riz Ahmed, Lost River‘s Ben Mendelsohn, Ip Man‘s Donnie Yen, Gone with the Bullets‘ Jian Weng, Southpaw‘s Forest Whitaker, Hannibal‘s Mads Mikkelsen, and Con Man‘s Alan Tudyk, though with a soundtrack by Godzilla‘s Alexandre Desplat it will be the first live action Star Wars movie not to be scored by John Williams.
Kevin Gilmartin – It’s not much to go on, and I’m really not sure what to say. I think it looks promising and a somewhat darker an offering that we’ve previously seen in that far, far away galaxy. Certainly in terms of colour and tone it’s very muted compared with The Force Awakens; it doesn’t look like a happy film.
I’m looking forward to it. Not as much as I looked forward to The Force Awakens, but enough to have my hopes up.
Michael Flett – It’s only a teaser rather than a full trailer, but I like what I see, very much. I’ve loved both of Gareth Edwards’ films, and met him after the UK premiere of Monsters at the Edinburgh Film Festival. He’s great with actors and, having created all the special effects for that film himself in his bedroom, he knows how to use them to best effect to service a scene rather than take it over, and he understands how they are created.
I love his recreation of the galaxy of 1977; it genuinely looks like it could have been created at that time. That is the original Death Star, those are the original Star Destroyers that I saw in the cinema back in Aviemore. The way they move is right – it’s all digital but it was designed to look like it’s motion controlled models with all the limitations of those but all the realism which comes from genuine modelwork.
It has been asked why the Imperial General couldn’t have been alien – “make him blue like Thrawn,” somebody said, but that’s wrong for the period. If you look back at the original, the Imperials were, to a man (for there were no women!) white humans, and I think they very much want to keep it in the tone of the period it was set.
In many ways I feel like this is the film which the prequels should have been, the stuff which was happening just out of sight. Back to Massassi Temple on the fourth moon of Yavin!
It will be interesting to see where they go with this – it can’t end with a big space battle, or at least that was never the impression I had from what we know. This is about stealth and subterfuge.
At least we know that this time there shouldn’t be too many Bothans dying…
Everything in The Force Awakens looked amazing but seeing those weird pointed back helmets, the green lined screens and Mon Mothma just gave me chills. What superb casting for that role too, she looks perfect!
I really want to know more about this time in the Rebellion’s history. Jyn Erso’s “This is a rebellion, isn’t it? I rebel” line is wonderful, and while I look forward to seeing our heroes more fully in the film I am more excited by the new Imperial baddie.
White uniform, long cape, menacing without actually doing anything – him I want to know more about. While no blue skin was present, just the look and uniform immediately made me think of Timothy Zahn’s Grand Admiral Thrawn. I’m really hoping we have a good villain on our hands here.
I’m also looking forward to a movie without the Jedi playing a large role. No Skywalker bloodline sagas, just what the non-magical, non destiny beholden folk were doing to fight this rebellion from the ground level with no “super powers.” This looks like it could be something fresh and new for a story set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is scheduled for release on December 16th, 2016
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