‘Rogue One’ Originally Began Life As Concept For A Live-Action ‘Star Wars’ TV Series

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has finally been released on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD. However, believe it or not, the original idea nearly bagan as a one-hour live action ‘Star Wars’ television show. Read on for more details!

 

ILM’s John Knoll dropped some interesting details of how he came up with the story behind what finally ended up being the first Star Wars spin-off film. The film has now gone one to earn more than $531.7 million at the North America box-office alone, and has become the seventh-largest domestic earner of all time.

 

In a recent interview with CBR, Knoll spoke about his original idea for a “Mission Impossible” style story which centered around a break-in to one of the most highly secure facilities in the galactic Empire. Knoll came up with this idea around the time that Lucasfilm had begun developing stories for a potential live-action STAR WARS TV series. So, he took his epic heist story to former Star Wars producer Rick McCallum.

“What about a ‘Mission Impossible’-style break-in into the most secure facility in the Empire to steal the Death Star plans? There could be a lot of tension of potentially being discovered and overcoming security measures. That could be a lot of fun!” I started tinkering with this idea internally. Then a day or two later, I asked Rick [McCallum], I heard you were developing this TV show. He started telling me about the era that it takes place in, and the themes of the show. As soon as he started going into that, I realized, actually, that idea has no place in that show, so I just dropped it completely.”

 

 

Years later, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy began developing a standalone Star Wars anthology series of films to accompany the Saga episodes. After wondering what would’ve happened if he didn’t repitch his story, Knoll decided it was time to make an appointment with Kennedy.

“So I made the appointment, and I did the pitch to Kathy and Kiri Hart, who’s .head of story [at Lucasfilm]. At the end — they listened to the whole thing very politely, and at the end, Kathy said, “All right, well, thank you.” So I got up and left. I didn’t hear anything for a little while. I thought, “All right, well, okay, I did it. I’m not going to wonder.” About a week after, I got an email from Kiri: “We talked about this a lot, and we may want to do something with this.” Then it snowballed into this.”

 

 

The Oscar Winning Special Effects Legend also went on to explain how much of the original idea ending up surviving.

“Inevitably, things change a bit. I feel like about 50% of what I wrote survived, which is not terrible. A lot of the major characters are still the major characters that were in that first pitch. Jyn Erso was in the first thing I wrote, as was K-2, and Krennic, and even the character that got renamed but eventually became Cassian. So those were all in what I pitched originally. It still ended [the same]: the very last thing in the movie was with Princess Leia on the Blockade Runner as she gets the plans, and has to decide what they’re going to do.”

 

 

You can read the full interview with the legendary John Knoll here.

 

 

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY is now available on Blu-ray/DVD.

 

 

 

 

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23 thoughts on “‘Rogue One’ Originally Began Life As Concept For A Live-Action ‘Star Wars’ TV Series

  • April 9, 2017 at 1:58 pm
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    Don’t we know this since at least Celebration 2016?

  • April 9, 2017 at 4:35 pm
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    I think the story of Darth Plageous training palpatine would function great as a live action tv series.
    We would have the sith training, view of palpatine rising in politics, and show how Maul was obtained from Dathomir.
    I think it would be great. The nightsisters/Talzin could function as the the anatagonists. That way we can get action, without the sith revealing themselves to the Jedi.
    I just think something like KOTOR will be to bold for a televsions budget. This would be reltively “grounded”. There wouldnt be epic space battles, and many of the sets could be built practically.

    • April 9, 2017 at 7:57 pm
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      Yep – would love to see more on how Palpatine raised in power, both in politic and Sith.

      • April 9, 2017 at 9:30 pm
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        And we could get a cameo from young Tarkin, played by Guy Henry, just without the fancy CGI trickery.

      • April 9, 2017 at 9:35 pm
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        Its belneficial as you can’t explore his entire poltical rise and his sith training in a solo film + the story doesnt really fit for a animated series (which in SW is aiming to get KIDS and adults watching) + its not an EPIC (as big space battles,) so not that much CGI would be needed so it would better accomidate a TV liveaction budget.

        I think we will get something soon. There must be a reason why they dont want to canonise the Plageius novel ( a few tweeks to the nightsister section of the novel would easily allow it to fit perfectly into the canon; if I remeber correctly in the book a random Nightsister hands over a baby Maul to Sidious, while in canon we know Talzin is his mother + I believe sidious took him to punish her).

        • April 11, 2017 at 6:19 pm
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          I’m seeing….I’m seeing House of Cards…IN SPAAAAAACE!!!!!
          (clarification – this is a GOOD thing)

  • April 9, 2017 at 6:04 pm
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    Can’t wait for this movie to be finished…

  • April 9, 2017 at 7:56 pm
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    This would of been a great way to introduce a live tv series, with possibly a film at the end to finish off. I’m happy with R1, have been fortunate to watch at home already, but looking forward to the release tomorrow as well.

    Thanks to those whom suggested reading Catalyst as well, indeed a very good novel as a prequel to the film.

    • April 9, 2017 at 10:26 pm
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      Ya know, I never thought about that. ‘Cause apparently I’m dumb.

      Makes sense that if we ever get a live action television series they could finish the story off in a movie. Lucas Film and all.

      • April 10, 2017 at 11:22 am
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        I imagine something along the lines of Firefly might of worked for a Star Wars down and dirty in the Outer Rim setting.

        Could they still do something like that I wonder now that the anthology films are launched with R1. Something like Rebels might of worked without the ‘force’ element.

      • April 10, 2017 at 3:32 pm
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        I think that’s a fantastic idea.

  • April 10, 2017 at 1:23 pm
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    I’ll always be wary of Star Wars on TV. Only if it were on par with say Game of Thrones production value or something.

    • April 11, 2017 at 1:44 am
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      Or The Crown on Netflix.

  • April 11, 2017 at 6:18 pm
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    Could absolutely have seen this. It would have been a great way to showcase this interesting cast of characters in a way that the film, for as much as I liked it, just didn’t have room to do. “Baze and Chirrut: they’re cops….FORCE cops.”

  • April 11, 2017 at 9:09 pm
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    This would have worked much better as a high-end TV series. The movie fell flat because they were trying to make a Star Wars movie that didn’t feel like a Star Wars movie. And there was zero character development.

  • May 2, 2017 at 12:55 am
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    Idk about thsi

    • May 2, 2017 at 12:55 am
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      well maybe i do

      • May 2, 2017 at 12:55 am
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        who knows

        • May 2, 2017 at 12:56 am
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          hhaha but i do!

          • May 2, 2017 at 12:56 am
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            strange how things work

  • May 2, 2017 at 12:56 am
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    still completely strange tbh

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