Star Wars Celebration Anaheim: Details on Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One.

gareth_Edwards-511

The director for Rogue One (2016) recently sat down at Celebration to discuss his endeavors with Pablo Hidalgo, Kiri Hart, and Kathleen Kennedy.

 

  • Josh Trank could not join the panel due to feeling under the weather. (See his tweet below.)
  • The stand-alone movies are meant to explore new aspects of the universe. The movies are described as ‘Anthology Films’.
  • Gareth Edwards walked on and described his favorite moment. It was the TFA trailer.
  • Edwards revealed the teaser for the movie, which featured a forest planet, Obi-Wan’s monologue about the Dark Times, a shot of the Death Star, and audio of several Rebels screaming.
  • The plot of the movie revolves around the plan to steal the plans of the Death Star. It takes place shortly before ANH.
  • The movie places emphasis on the absence of the Jedi. It also revolves around moral ambiguity. Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, and Zero Dark Thirty were mentioned as influences.
  • A concept art piece involving several Rebels escaping from a dropship and leading an assault in the rain.
  • The movie is about an ensemble. Felicity Jones plays a vulnerable Rebel soldier.
  • John Knoll, who came up with the story, walked on stage.
  • Kathleen Kennedy knew that she was opening the floodgates with approving of Knoll’s idea, but she thought the idea was too good to pass up.

 

+ posts

Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.

Grant Davis (Pomojema)

Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.

70 thoughts on “Star Wars Celebration Anaheim: Details on Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One.

  • April 19, 2015 at 9:22 pm
    Permalink

    yay! bring it! 😀

  • April 19, 2015 at 9:26 pm
    Permalink

    A little footage of Rogue One has been shown.
    Footage rolls…. A TIE fighter soars over a forest/jungle planet. An ominous space station-like image is seen in the clouds…

    • April 19, 2015 at 9:30 pm
      Permalink

      footage? really?

      • April 19, 2015 at 9:58 pm
        Permalink

        I’m getting tired of seeing tie-fighters lately.

        Lucasfilm really knows how to oversaturate OT fans.

        • April 19, 2015 at 10:06 pm
          Permalink

          Well if you don’t like Star Wars then go away 🙂

          • April 20, 2015 at 7:44 pm
            Permalink

            Yeah! He should just “go away”, huh?
            HE NEVER SAID he doesn’t like “Star Wars”. But God forbid he should HAVE AN OPINION instead of being a mindless “Yes Man” drone who thinks EVERYTHING is “amazing” ….

        • April 19, 2015 at 10:07 pm
          Permalink

          Kathleen Kennedy: “these films are set up to explore new aspects of the Star Wars universe…”

          HUH????

          So you do this by telling a story that retreads the same ground covered by not only Episode IV but Rebels???
          “New aspects” my foot!

          • April 19, 2015 at 10:09 pm
            Permalink

            @Aras Volodka

            Believe me, I love Star Wars. I just wish there was more to this universe than X-Wing fighters and everything having to connect storywise to Episode IV: A New Hope.

            … and I think you knew what I meant, you just want to start an argument.

          • April 19, 2015 at 10:25 pm
            Permalink

            I love how you say “oversaturate OT fans” while saying I’m the one trying to start an argument.

            Man, this has been one of the best weekends ever for Star Wars fans, and now the only people bitching about it are PT’ers and a handful of ultra fanatic OT literalists. Hopefully the next five years will sift the contaminants.

          • April 19, 2015 at 10:34 pm
            Permalink

            Woah, chill, saga and PT-era-born fan. I admit seeing all the ties this week is a bit more than what we’re used to, but it’s because Star Wars FINALLY has solid interconnecting and the ST comes after the OT, which actually has less canon material than the PT era. I can’t wait to see TPM-AOTC era explored, and stuff before, but I’m digging seeing the Lando comic, the Battlefron book and game, and TFA. This Rogue One Spinoff, presumably PG-13, looks like another great addition 🙂 So yes, it’s a bit much, but then again, it’s necessary.

          • April 20, 2015 at 1:25 am
            Permalink

            I could live without a PT era film, I wasn’t a big fan of the designs for ships and such in that time period.

            I wouldn’t really be opposed to a clone wars era film… I just hope that they actually decide to use real suits for the clone troopers if they decide to go that route!

            In all seriousness though, I got bored of watching robots die, I prefer when 2 armies of living beings clash.

            I was a tad bummed to hear this film will be set prior to ANH though… I would have preferred an ST era film or something to bridge the gap between ROTJ & TFA. Though this is a *tiny* complaint… I’m very satisfied as a SW fan now.

            There can never be enough tie fighters & star destroyers going down to satisfy my appetite. Keep ’em coming Disney.

          • April 20, 2015 at 4:35 am
            Permalink

            2 armies of living beings clashing.
            The screams you hear at the end of the trailer are Bothans and dying.

          • April 20, 2015 at 5:01 pm
            Permalink

            Mon Mothma talked about several Bothans dying before the 2nd death star was attacked, not before the first one.

          • April 20, 2015 at 6:27 am
            Permalink

            Don’t worry! I believe it is set just weeks or so before a New Hope. Which makes it the same era. What I’m worried about is the director. Godzilla sucked donkey balls!

          • April 20, 2015 at 6:15 am
            Permalink

            I call them “prequilers” 😉

          • April 19, 2015 at 10:31 pm
            Permalink

            Well, considering Star Wars is basically about space battles, space pirates and the Jedi vs Sith, it’s probably a bit tricky to make spin-offs that don’t revolve around one of these three areas. What would you rather see? The Emperor’s Speech? 12 Years a Slave Leia?

          • April 20, 2015 at 1:45 am
            Permalink

            12 Years a Slave Leia..? Yes please?

          • April 20, 2015 at 3:09 am
            Permalink

            I need more on trade negotiations

          • April 20, 2015 at 4:58 am
            Permalink

            Wookie love stories or a Jawa finds a lottery credit in a console of a wrecked ship and cashes it in, then buys the services of one of Jabbas Dancers to Escort him to an intergalactic college and he enrolls, the two
            In Culinary class then they both charter a fishing vessel and start a resurant on a sail barge.
            It would be like Pretty Woman and Forrest Gump in outer space.
            That would be like epic!

          • April 20, 2015 at 9:02 am
            Permalink

            Well friggin put! It’s kind of hard to make a Star Wars movie without iconical things like tie fighters, clone soldiers or storm troopers etc etc. I’d put money on any Star Wars movie coming out, will have Star Wars elements in it haha

          • April 20, 2015 at 4:48 am
            Permalink

            Are you able to describe in great detail what the aspects are of the year before the events that transpire in A New Hope?
            You know, the particular circumstances pertaining to the Death Star plans stolen from the hands of the Empire as mentioned in EP 4.

        • April 19, 2015 at 10:12 pm
          Permalink

          I’m OT fan and i can tell you i am not oversaturated man.
          i’m excited

        • April 20, 2015 at 4:31 pm
          Permalink

          getting tired of seeing tie fighters??? *eye roll* good god where do these people come from…

          um ok, everyone, no more tie fighters, cut em from all incoming starwars material. no more stormtroopers either, yep too many of those..no more lightsabers while we’re at it, disney really milking those…too many xwings too, and rebels, and skywalkers. yeah really getting sick of all the stuff thats awesome.

          bitch bitch whine whine puh leeeeze…

  • April 19, 2015 at 9:32 pm
    Permalink

    its a teaser…hopefully we will get to see it

  • April 19, 2015 at 9:34 pm
    Permalink

    What where is the footage?

  • April 19, 2015 at 9:35 pm
    Permalink

    Send link please…

  • April 19, 2015 at 9:43 pm
    Permalink

    Love the use of the VOs. absolutely picking some of the best monologues

  • April 19, 2015 at 9:44 pm
    Permalink

    I wanna see it please someone how can i see that roque one footage?….help!!!

    • April 20, 2015 at 12:23 am
      Permalink

      I just watched the teaser on YouTube. Someone uploaded it with their phone.

    • April 19, 2015 at 10:00 pm
      Permalink

      just WOW!!!

    • April 20, 2015 at 11:12 am
      Permalink

      And blocked.

  • April 19, 2015 at 9:59 pm
    Permalink

    For the celebration visitors only? not for youtube any time soon?

    • April 19, 2015 at 10:03 pm
      Permalink

      wasnt there something about a contract not to promote it till mission impossible? maybe we dont get it on youtube…but i bet we get a better bootleg than this soon 🙂

  • April 19, 2015 at 10:00 pm
    Permalink

    This is the first Star Wars trailer that elicited a “so what?” response from me.

    • April 19, 2015 at 10:38 pm
      Permalink

      Seeing as there has been no actual footage shot yet for the film I wouldn’t start passing judgement just yet. Edwards explained that the teaser shown was just put together very quickly for the panel by ILM.

  • April 19, 2015 at 10:02 pm
    Permalink

    By the time this rolls out, audiences will be sick of seeing CGI x wings.

  • April 19, 2015 at 10:04 pm
    Permalink

    Naturally, Felicity Jones’ character is described as “vulnerable.” Because we can’t have a STRONG female character, can we? Or is that asking for too much in this day and age?

    • April 19, 2015 at 10:11 pm
      Permalink

      Is it confirmed that the story is about a group of pilots stealing the death star plans? Or is that still speculation?

    • April 19, 2015 at 10:29 pm
      Permalink

      Give me a break…

    • April 19, 2015 at 10:37 pm
      Permalink

      We literally know nothing about her other that she’s a vulnerable soldier. And haven’t you heard of PTSD? That takes the strongest and makes them very weak. Vulnerable may just be that she’s been through a ton of bloody warfare. Leia and Luke are also vulnerable. One found his burned uncle and aunt, and the other lost her WHOLE PLANET. Let’s not jump to anything just yet 🙂

    • April 19, 2015 at 10:39 pm
      Permalink

      He described a range of emotions.

      “The group displayed an image of several Rebel soldiers de-boarding from transports onto a battlefield. Edwards confirmed that yes, Felicity Jones is a Rebel soldier. ‘When you meet real soldiers, they’re real and normal people. We want to demonstrate fear and warmth and energy. And Felicity embodies all those things in her body of work.'”

      http://comicbook.com/2015/04/19/more-star-wars-rogue-one-crew-details-and-felicity-jones-role/

    • April 20, 2015 at 12:23 am
      Permalink

      Because we can’t have female characters who act like real people, with flaws and venerablities and fears they have to be these ‘strong independent women’ with no character flaws or any human emotions like Katniss Everdeen, because having flawed women is somehow sexist

    • April 20, 2015 at 3:54 am
      Permalink

      Can you’ll stop with the strong female character complaint already. Getting real old.

  • April 19, 2015 at 10:04 pm
    Permalink

    This is actually what I always wanted to see….Rebels fighting the Empire…

  • April 19, 2015 at 10:19 pm
    Permalink

    Nice to see the Rogue One news just as I getting hot and bothered. Now tell us who Uber is. 🙂

  • April 19, 2015 at 10:36 pm
    Permalink

    I really hope they canonize the EU version of what the Bothans looked like. I was disappointed that we have not seen a single Bothan in all of TCW and Rebels so far, considering they were one of the only named alien races in the OT. I always liked how they looked in the comics and SWG

    • April 19, 2015 at 11:02 pm
      Permalink

      Many Bothans died stealing the plans of the SECOND Death Star.

      • April 19, 2015 at 11:16 pm
        Permalink

        Yeah I know but I imagine they are members of the Rebellion so this would be a good opportunity to introduce them

        • April 19, 2015 at 11:33 pm
          Permalink

          I don’t think so. The Bothans didn’t exist until Return Of The Jedi.

          • April 19, 2015 at 11:44 pm
            Permalink

            Not sure where this stands in the new canon, but I think the Bothans stole the second DS plans in order to prove themselves to the Rebellion. Ergo, they “existed” before ROTJ, but they hadn’t joined the main narrative as of yet.

          • April 20, 2015 at 3:36 am
            Permalink

            Are you… trying to say, that there shouldnt be Bothans in the Star Wars universe until after Return of the Jedi… because Bothans literally didnt exist in-universe…

            Are you… insane?

  • April 19, 2015 at 11:42 pm
    Permalink

    Sigh…I’m excited to see this, and it certainly has potential to be an awesome movie…but I was really hoping those rumors about stealing the Death Star plans were false. Looks like Star Wars isn’t exempt from the “origin story” trend in Hollywood.

    • April 20, 2015 at 1:06 am
      Permalink

      I was kind of hoping the Rebels crew would do it. It would be a good way to cap off the show.

      • April 20, 2015 at 2:31 am
        Permalink

        Truth; it would have also nicely tied the show in with the rest of the saga, adding to the so-called cohesiveness of the new EU. Oh well, I’ll get excited for this eventually.

      • April 20, 2015 at 2:39 am
        Permalink

        May still be some overlap. Here’s hoping.

  • April 20, 2015 at 2:25 am
    Permalink

    Star Wars episode daily the fan arguments awaken.

  • April 20, 2015 at 4:45 am
    Permalink

    I think this looks pretty sweet, I mean, Rebels fighting Empire, PERIOD. It may sound been-there-done-that but if you think about it actually it hasn’t REALLY been done for 30 years.
    How many full-scale battles have they had in Rebels?
    You may say they already tread the hard-warfare stuff with CW, but actually the Clone Wars were different from the Rebellion in lots of ways. That’s like saying a Vietnam Film is boring because they already made a film about D-Day.

    I defend that this is very much a relevant premise for a film, because if you think about it they didn’t really show that much of the Rebellion, even in the Original.
    So to have a single film dedicated solely to Rebels-v-Empire [no Jedi-drama attached], hey, I’M IN!
    This film doesn’t have to be earth-shattering, just a few WWII dogfights in Space, is that such a bad thing?

  • April 20, 2015 at 5:33 am
    Permalink

    So this is how Disney brings back Darth Vader. Prepare for Vader merchandise overload.

    • April 20, 2015 at 7:53 am
      Permalink

      I’m pretty sure the tone is that this is a super-realistic, gritty, no-Jedi, no Force, film. That’s the sense I got from the panel, anyways.

  • April 20, 2015 at 9:39 am
    Permalink

    I think the movie’s premise is great, because the Death Star is such an integral part of the core movie franchise. I also hope we get more movies like it, that supposedly explore the time periods not covered in the live action movies so far. The SW cartoons, especially the recent ones, are surely mighty fine, but they’re not everybody’s cup of tea. To give a live action visualization to this era is an improvement on the franchise as a whole.

    Now, I am really curious about where Disney/Lucasfilm want to take the Anthology series, more than where the new trilogy will be going: A *dawn of the rebellion*/*common rebel soldier* movie was a no-brainer, given how popular the X-Wing books, comics, and games were. But after that, what *good* stories are really out there to tell, that are NOT based character spin-offs? – Not that I wouldn’t mind seeing a Han/Boba/Obi-Wan “random solo quest”, come the right time, but the theft of the of the Deathstar plans was pretty much the best spin-off story in store for the old trilogy IMO.

    What do you guys think Disney will or should bring on after this one? Just curious.

    • April 21, 2015 at 8:08 pm
      Permalink

      Anthology movies can jump around the timeline. I think that would be for the best.

  • April 20, 2015 at 11:48 am
    Permalink

    Rebel troopers fighting stormtroopers equals awesome!!!

  • April 20, 2015 at 6:16 pm
    Permalink

    So now we know the premise of Rogue One, and we still don’t know the premise of EP 7.

    JJ’s secrecy is ridiculous at this point. He revealed nothing about the story at Celebration.

  • April 21, 2015 at 4:07 am
    Permalink

    Maybe we’ll find out who tossed that Meg down the trash compactor

Comments are closed.

LATEST POSTS ON MOVIE NEWS NET