We finally have some footage for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which is the first stand alone in the new canon Star Wars universe…
The teaser trailer, an AT-AT filed minute and a half, has blown the pants off diehards and skeptical fans alike, leaving them looking forward to the December premiere like a kid looks forward to Christmas. Most of them anyway…
The trailer was viewed 30 million times in its first 29 hours, and while the reaction was largely positive, a few butt-hurt posters lamented the repeat of a female lead. This is of course referring to Daisy Ridley’s character in The Force Awakens, and Rogue One‘s lead Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), with such eloquent complaints as this gem;
For more dudes hating on the idea, ScreenCrush assembled some other reactions here. Luckily, they were few and far between, with several guys even speaking up for their Rebel loving sisters,
Meanwhile, Mark Hamill himself said what the rest of us were thinking #WOWZA
The gents complaining about “another” female lead seem to not have paid much attention to the original trilogy. Aside from the trooper blasting rebel princess Leia, the Rebel Alliance itself was always led by a woman, Mon Mothma. The former Senator turned rebel leader will be played by Genevieve O’ Reilly, who originally replaced New Hope’s Caroline Blakiston in 2005’s Revenge of the Sith. Her role will be more prominent in the new film as the focus shifts from the Jedi to the Rebellion, which Mothma had a hand is assembling following Revenge of the Sith, even if it was in a deleted scene.
Rogue One focuses on the crew chosen to obtain the plans for the first Death Star. The new focus means a deeper understanding of the workings of the rebellion, and of what is going on in the Galaxy outside the bubble of the Skywalker clan. Unlike the Jedi, the rebels have no mystical fallback, which should raise the emotional stakes. Since none of our new heroes are mentioned in later films, there’s no telling whose life could be lost. One hopes this trend will continue in the following stand-alone films set to focus on the late-great Han Solo, and famed bounty hunter Boba Fett.
The trailer shows a shiny new Death Star, accompanied by Star Destroyers that look like they still have their factory paint. The over all aesthetic of the Empire at its height is in beautiful contrast to the grittiness of the Rebel Alliance. Largely existing off of stolen goods and Jimmie-rigged ships, if Disney’s Star Wars: Rebels is any indication, this rag-tag team of fighters will have their work cut out for them against the well armed, and well oiled Imperial Forces. Director Gareth Edwards, who won several awards for his work on the post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi drama Monsters, and went on to direct Godzilla in 2014, seems to have been well placed at the movie’s helm, bringing with him a touch of grit.
The trailer gives us all we need to know about our hero Jyn Erso, who delivers the perfect response to being questioned about her behavior on a previous assignment with;“This is a
“This is a rebellion, isn’t it? I rebel.”
And with that fan boys and girls cheered ” Long live the rebellion.”
Joining the silver-tongued rebel are Diego Luna (Elysium), Nightcrawler‘s Riz Ahmed, Ip Man himself – Donnie Yen, Chinese film star Jiang Wen, and Oscar Winner Forest Whitaker as ‘Rogue’. Not featured in the trailer are Firefly alum Alan Tudyk and Hannibal star Mads Mikkelsen. And representing the evil empire, staff favorite around here; Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline, The Dark Knight Rises, Ready Player One).
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Images: Disney, Lucasfilms
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