When the news broke yesterday regarding necessary reshoots for the forthcoming Star Wars film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the initial rumors pointed to this additional, corrective filming as a direct response to poor audience test screenings. Yes, when we read this, and reported it, we immediately cried out, “Please don’t be terrible!” Thankfully, the horror of a potentially catastrophic Star Wars film we collectively inferred seems to have been inferred too quickly; more details have recently surfaced, offering further clarity on the exact nature of these Rogue One reshoots.
According to our friends at Deadline, there was no negative response to audience test screenings. In fact, just like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there were no audience test screenings. So, why were the reshoots ordered? According to the source, Disney executives – after viewing the very first Star Wars spinoff film – decided reshoots were necessary in order to capture the “edge” of Force Awakens. They also wanted to make sure the tone of the film “jelled” a bit more with FA, and the film it precedes in the overarching Star Wars movie universe, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Look, they’re spending a LOT of money and they absolutely need to get this right. Let’s be okay with the reshoots.
Additionally (and thankfully), this reaction by Disney’s top brass doesn’t seem as reactionary or as desperate as originally reported. WHEW!
According to a reporter for Variety, another purpose for reshooting was to include a very important cameo.
Sources say reshoots are expected on ROGUE 1; nothing to worry about, most of the shoot will involve the cameo of a very important character
— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) May 31, 2016
Who could it be? Hmmm.
Star Wars: Rogue One hits the Death Star on December 16th, 2016 and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk and Jonathan Aris.
