In the run-up to the release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” director J.J. Abrams discussed frequently how the new series of “Star Wars” films would use practical effects whenever possible. It was a course correction that had long been demanded by fans of the franchise, who were generally displeased by the overuse of CGI in George Lucas‘ prequel trilogy.
Still, “The Force Awakens” would not have been made without the extensive digital effects done by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the studio founded by Lucas in 1975 that has worked on every film in the “Star Wars” series. In fact, in an interview with /Film, VFX supervisors Roger Guyett and Patrick Tubach revealed that “The Force Awakens” had more CGI shots than “The Phantom Menace.” Now ILM is showing off their Oscar-nominated work in the new film with a montage that shows the level of detail put into many major scenes in the film.
The demo reel shows us the steps that go into designing creatures, locales, and ships — and sweeps through them in a few seconds. We see the layers of detail that go into each Star Destroyer and how sets that use a mix of green screen and practical design get blended into ILM’s digital backgrounds. While the trenches of the Death Star in the original “Star Wars” were made with miniatures, the X-Wing battles in “The Force Awakens” were entirely done with computers. Even the Jakku scenes, which were mostly filmed near Abu Dhabi, had large-scale CGI, as demonstrated by a shot where Rey and Finn run towards the Millennium Falcon.
“Star Wars” fans will be able to see more of ILM’s work when “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” hits theaters December 16.
Who's Who in 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' (Photos)
Though "Rogue One" set just before the events of the original "Star Wars" film, it's mostly filled with characters we haven't met before. But we do know some details about them, through trailers and leaks and a big reveal over at Entertainment Weekly in July. So here's a rundown of what we know so far.
Felicity Jones plays the leading role, abrasive rebel Jyn Erso, who leads a Dirty Dozen-style team to pull a heist on the Death Star that Darth Vader built in the original "Star Wars" movie. "She’s a real survivor," producer Kathleen Kennedytold Entertainment Weekly. "She becomes a kind of Joan of Arc in the story.”
Jones was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2014 for "The Theory of Everything." She is a different human being than Daisy Ridley, who played Rey in "The Force Awakens."
Diego Luna is playing an officer in the Rebellion's intelligence arm named Cassion Andor. He's inserted into Erso's merry band of thieves as the steady counter to the volatile Erso. Luna you know from several prestige pictures, including "Frida," "Milk" and his breakout role in Alfonso Cuaron's "Y Tu Mama Tambien."
Chinese superstar Donnie Yen (best known in the West for "Ip Man") is, in terms of global exposure, the most famous member of the cast. He plays Chirrut Imwe, a blind, Force-using monk -- but not a Jedi, though he walks a similar path. He wields a staff rather than a lightsaber.
This is the acclaimed Chinese writer/director/actor Wen Jiang, making his Western film debut as Baze Malbus, another member of Jyn Erso’s team. Baze is BFFs with Chirrut, though like Han Solo he's more about blasters, armor and explosives than hokey religions and ancient weapons.
Alan Tudyk is K-2S0, a security droid. Director Gareth Edwards told EW he's basically "Chewbacca's personality in a droid’s body," which means he runs off at the mouth a lot.
Forest Whitaker is Saw Gerrera, a character we know well from the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" animated television series. Gerrera fought alongside Anakin Skywalker in that conflict back in the day, before he became Darth Vader. According to Whitaker, Saw and his team go to far more extreme lengths to stop the Empire than Jyn is willing to go.
Ben Mendelsohn is the main villain in “Rogue One,” an Imperial called Director Orson Krennic. He leads a squad of soldiers called Deathtroopers, and they're all about squashing Erso's rogue band before they get what they're after. "He is smarter, I think, than some of his predecessors. Perhaps a little more inventive."
Riz Ahmed is Bodhi Rook, the group's attitude-spewing pilot. Everybody puts up with his s--- because he's that good. Ahmed you've seen before in "Nightcrawler," and he's set to appear in this summer's "Jason Bourne."
Mads Mikkelsen will play Galen Erso, Jyn's estranged father. Galen is a scientist of much importance in the galaxy, and is being pursued by both the Rebellion and Empire for his knowledge. And Jyn also because, you know, he's her father.
Yes, that is Mon Mothma, the top dog of the Rebel Alliance. She’s played here by Genevieve O’Reilly, who also made an appearance in the role for “Revenge of the Sith” a decade ago.
Who is this cloaked figure? We don’t know, but it’s probably someone important. And it’s a bad guy almost definitely. Darth Vader, probably not coincidentally, will appear in "Rogue One." And yes, James Earl Jones will voice him.
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There are a lot of familiar and unfamiliar faces in the first “Star Wars” spinoff — let’s talk about who they all are
Though "Rogue One" set just before the events of the original "Star Wars" film, it's mostly filled with characters we haven't met before. But we do know some details about them, through trailers and leaks and a big reveal over at Entertainment Weekly in July. So here's a rundown of what we know so far.
