Later this year, we are going to get the first planned Star Wars story that doesn't exist as part of a larger trilogy. Gareth Edwards' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story rewinds the saga back to the period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, explaining how the Rebel forces attained the plans to the Death Star, eventually helping to bring Darth Vader down. And while we know that Lord Vader will have a part in this movie, Edwards largely is rolling out new characters, may of whom we learned a LOT about today.
We're in London, currently covering Star Wars Celebration, and with Rogue One heading to theaters on December 15, we were treated to a full display of new costumes and ships tied to the upcoming movie. With each costume came new details on the characters, which I wanted to share with you right now. And where better to start than with our upstart heroine, Jyn Erso:
Jyn Erso
Played by Felicity Jones, Jyn is described as "impetuous, defiant and eager to bring the battle to the Empire." She's typically a loner, though she's going to lead a new team of Rebels in Rogue One. Will they follow her into battle?
Captain Cassian Andor
Played by Diego Luna, Cassian Andor will likely help Jyn Erso command the respect of the Rebel troops. He's an experienced military man, who has "the ability to keep a cool head under fire." That likely will serve him well in the fights that are to come.
Chirrut Imwe
Donnie Yen's Chirrut Imwe looks to be bringing the spirituality and skill set of a ninja warrior to the Star Wars universe. Deeply spiritual, Imwe "believes all things are connected through the Force," but he doesn't have Force powers, himself. Instead, he has trained his body through rigorous mental and physical training techniques. How will that fare against Darth Vader?
Bodhi Rook
Played by Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler), Bodhi Rook sounds like a skilled pilot, something the Rebellion will need when taking on the Empire. He also sounds like a rookie, someone who needs to keep his ego and confidence in check as he attempts to bring the battle to the Empire. Can Jyn Erso keep him in line?
Baze Malbus
A new character (to us, anyway), Wen Jiang's Baze Malbus is "a crack shot with his heavy repeater cannon," which he learned to use because he grew tired of the Empire trashing his homeland. Baze is paired with Chirrut Imwe, and is the impulsive counterpoint to Imwe's spiritual calmness.
Director Orson Krennic
There always has to be a villain, and Ben Mendelsohn's Orson Krennic will be the one making life difficult for the Rebellion. Krennic is a disciple of the Emperor, and someone who is negotiating behind Darth Vader's back to obtain more power. In his ongoing effort to please the Emperor, Krennic has pushed all of his chips behind the construction of The Death Star. So it's eventual destruction likely will be a big problem for him.
We also got a model of Krennic's ship, as will be seen in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story when it opens in theaters on December 15.
