Rouge One is one of the most interesting Star Wars productions. For the first time, we are getting a story set in a galaxy far, far away that is separate from the episodes we’re familiar with. Now, for the first time since the teaser trailer was released, we are getting information about the new faces entering the Star Wars universe, and new details on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
The new details come from Entertainment Weekly, who turn the Star Wars spinoff into their latest feature. On the cover, one of the biggest rumors gets confirmed (and we already told you all about it): DARTH VADER WILL BE BACK!!! The most feared man within the Empire will have his presence known.
Today’s announcement also comes with a quick look into the new characters of Rogue One. They will be the ragtag group responsible for stealing the plans for the original Death Star as mentioned in the opening crawl from A New Hope. Sure, we all know how the story turns out, but now we get to meet the people responsible for saving the galaxy.
Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones)
We were introduced to her in the teaser trailer. Now we learn that she’s been a pain for both the Empire and the Rebels for some time, but can now earn a “get out of jail card” for her assistance. She is extremely important to the mission, because her father Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) holds dangerous knowledge that is wanted by both sides of the galactic war. As Rogue One producer Kathleen Kennedy put it, Jyn’s “arc” is sort of a redemption story.
“She has been detained [by the Rebellion] and is being given an opportunity to be useful. And by being useful, it may commute her sentence… She’s a real survivor. She becomes a kind of Joan of Arc in the story.”
Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna)
Damn. I was really hoping he would play an updated version of Biggs Darklighter. Anyway, Diego Luna plays a new, “by-the-books” Rebel intelligence officer. His job? To make sure Jyn plays by the rules. Expect him to be a real hard-ass, since he’s seen his fair share of action and is absolutely dedicated to the Rebel cause.
Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen)
One of the most anticipated characters was whoever Donnie Yen was going to play. Now we know that although he works with the Force, it’s clear that Chirrut is no Jedi. Today’s report goes on to say “he has used his spirituality to overcome his blindness and become a formidable warrior.” So expect his character to be along the lines of Maz Katana. Sure, he can use and feel the Force, but he won’t be held back by the rules of the Jedi. Expect him to take out his fair share of Stormtroopers.
Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen)
It appears Chirrut has some followers, and one of them is Malbus. However, he doesn’t care about The Force; instead, Baze finds his inner chi by surrounding himself with an armory. Skilled with a blaster, he will be the muscle of the plan-stealing team while Chirrut will be its heart.
Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed)
Every great Rebel squad needs a hot-headed pilot right? Well, Bodhi seems ready to fill the role. Think of him as a version of Han Solo; sure, he loses his cool, but when he’s flying, everything comes up Bodhi.
K-2SO (Alan Tudyk)
Now we get our first good look at the droid that is sure to steal plenty of scenes in Rogue One. Director Gareth Edwards says he’s unlike any droid we’ve seen. “Kaytoo is a little bit like Chewbacca’s personality in a droid’s body. The antithesis of C-3PO.” A former Empire droid, his tale is as much about redemption as Jyn’s. Plus, when you have the amazing Alan Tudyk pulling his strings, you know K-2SO will be everyone’s favorite by the end of the movie.
Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn)
The brief glimpse we received of Mendelsohn in the teaser trailer raised a lot of eyebrows. An Imperial Officer dressed in white? With a flowing cape?? It appears he’s in competition with Darth Vader for the respect of the Emperor, and he plans on using his legion of Deathtroopers to rise to the top of the ranks. His position seems comparable to Grand Moff Tarkin (without the loyalty), which makes Krennic a very interesting character.
Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker)
Saving the best reveal for last, there is the mysterious character being played by Oscar winner Forest Whitaker. Well, here endeth the mystery: he plays Saw Gerrera, and if that name sounds familiar… it should. He originally appeared in a story arc for The Clone Wars, where he led a guerrilla group alongside Anakin Skywalker to defeat the Separatists. It appears things haven’t gone well for him since the war, but now the Rebels need his assistance to steal the Death Star plans.
“Consider him kind of a battered veteran who leads a band of Rebel extremists,” says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “He’s on the fringe of the Rebel Alliance. Even [they] are a little concerned about him.”
Today was just a little taste to build up excitement for this December’s Rogue One. Expect more information to be released when Entertainment Weekly releases their latest issue this Friday. Perhaps by then we can finally get a glimpse of what Darth Vader has in store for those thieving Rebels!
