Everything we know about Rogue One

Filming on the Rogue One Anthology film began recently. It’s schedule for release  in December 2016.  We can’t wait.  Let’s look at everything we know about it so far.

Ideas for Anthology Films

When Disney announced it was making new Star Wars films, it went out of their way to note that they would also produce one-off films about various characters.  These “Anthology” films were going to be more experimental in their form and would push the boundaries of the story telling of Star Wars.

Han Solo Star Wars Anthology Film

The second Anthology film has been announced.  Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, of The Lego Movie  and 21 Jump Street fame, will direct the new film.   The film is scheduled to be released May 25, 2018.

From StarWars.com:

“This is the first film we’ve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with. We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us. This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where you’re late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise you’ve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all.”

The screenplay is written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan. The story focuses on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley.

This is a very interesting premise to this film.  While 21 Jump street isn’t exactly the type of movies I would want to model after for Star Wars – especially this Star Wars movie about Han-freakin’-Solo, these guys have done good work overall.  What’s more interesting is Lawrence Kasdan writing the screen play.  Lawrence Kasdan – if you don’t already know – co-wrote Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.  He gets it.  He gets Han Solo.

I think Miller and Lord will also understand the playfulness that comes with Han Solo’s character.  Afterall, we won’t have Harrison Ford and his charisma appearing as the central character (not without some Tron:Legacy type CGI which would be lame).  So we’ll need some directors who can help get this out of someone else (preferably NOT Chris Pratt, no offense).

Just another point: this could still be very much a Boba Fett movie as was speculated earlier.  I’ve noted that I don’t really want to see a movie with Boba Fett as a central character.  Just as a nemesis (think Jaws).   So we’ll see what comes of this aspect as well.

This is good news and I hope to keep hearing more.

 

Star Wars Rogue One: Panel & Teaser

Star Wars Celebration brought many new trailers to fans.  One that has gotten less press has been for the new Anthology Series Film, Rogue One.  There isn’t very much known about Rogue One, but it takes place just before Episode IV A New Hope and is about a group of rebels who steal the Death Star plans (lots of questions).  There was a panel discussion at the event where the trailer was shown (twice actually).  See for yourself (Trailer is at 10:13).

The panel goes to pretty good lengths to describe Rogue One as having a different feel and focus than the traditional Star Wars films that we know.   Rogue One’s aim is to be more of a war movie and has attracted talent from films such as Zero Dark Thirty.  It’s objective is to be different than a typical Star Wars movie (or adventure movies in general) where the good guys and bad guys are clearly defined.

This takes a lot of courage.  Could you imagine a spin off of, say, Game of Thrones, that’s a comedy?

We fans should be encouraged by this.  We’ve seen what larger studios will do with large character properties.  We may have enjoyed having movies like Spider Man, Transformers, X-Men, Iron Man / Avengers, and Batman get their due attention, there’s nothing really epic about these films.  I never stood in line for hours for any of them.  I don’t anxiously await the next releases.  I don’t tell my friends “I know everything there is to know about [insert corporate character here].  The fact that Disney is so willing to continue to develop not just a new Star Wars trilogy (or whatever), but also enable and encourage story experimentation with important events and characters in the saga should be seen as the proper stewardship that we were hoping for post-George Lucas.