LucasFilm boss Kathleen Kennedy and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” director Gareth Edwards, along with a big chunk of the cast of the film, took the stage at Star Wars Celebration Europe on Friday to discuss the film and they, as expected, gave fans a new look at the spinoff.
The “Rogue One” presentation was moderated by Gwendoline Christie, who plays Captain Phasma in the new saga films.
Edwards introduced a sizzle reel which mixes footage from “Rogue One” with behind the scenes shots, with a ton of new stuff we haven’t seen before — including the first look at an alien member of the crew that will steal the Death Star plans.
“The pressure is so high,” Edwards says in the reel. “If you’re too respectful of it, that you didn’t do anything new or different or take a risk, then what are you bringing to the table?”
What Edwards brings to the table, according to Kennedy, is a visual style as a director that is completely distinct from that which we’ve seen in “Star Wars” movies in the past, characterized by his tendency to mount a camera on his soldier and shoot guerrilla style.
You can watch the video above.
“Rogue One” tells the story of a band of soldiers which steals the plans for the original Death Star and delivers them to the Rebel Alliance just before the events of the 1977 original “Star Wars” film.
“Rogue One” stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen and Ben Mendelsohn, and will feature some familiar sights, including Darth Vader, Rebel leader Mon Mothma and the Rebel base in the jungles of Yavin IV.
This year’s edition of the Star Wars Celebration convention is taking place in London, and kicked off Friday with a fan Q&A with Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker in the original “Star Wars” trilogy as well as the new trilogy that began with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in 2015.
“Rogue One” is the first of a series of standalone spinoff films that take place in the official timeline of “Star Wars,” but are not part of the story told in the numbered “saga” films.
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” will hit theaters December 16, 2016.