Very few people have seen Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The film has not yet screened for members of the press, and it was only just this week that members of the cast got to see the finished cut. Also in that group is Star Wars creator George Lucas, however, and he very recently gave director Gareth Edwards his stamp of approval on the movie.
Press days for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story were held this past weekend in San Francisco, California, and it was during a press conference at the Industrial Light and Magic headquarters that Gareth Edwards spoke about George Lucas' reaction to his movie. Edwards said that the original Star Wars director had only just called him the day before, and noted that Lucas' opinion is really the one he cherishes most. Said the director,
I don't want to put words into his mouth, but I can honestly say that I can die happy now. He really liked the movie, so it meant a lot. No offense to anyone here, but it was the most important review to me. You guys are important too, but he's kind of god. I will take that conversation to my grave. It was a real privilege. His opinion means the world to me.
That last bit was a bit of a bold statement from Gareth Edwards, who was sitting in front of a room full of people who will likely be reviewing Rogue One: A Star Wars Story next week (myself included) -- but it's not exactly like it's hard to see his point of view. While no movie is made by a single person, there is no denying that George Lucas is the creator of Star Wars, and an extension of that fact is that his opinion carries a lot of weight (regardless of what you think of the controversial prequels). We may now be in the post-Lucas era of the franchise, with filmmakers like J.J. Abrams, Gareth Edwards, and Rian Johnson carrying the torch into the future, but nobody will ever stop caring about what he thinks of Star Wars-related subjects.
Now we know what George Lucas thinks of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but fans will have to wait a few more days to hear the opinions of professional critics. The blockbuster's world premiere is scheduled to be held this Saturday in Los Angeles, and reviews will start to come out a few days later. You can definitely expect our review as soon as the embargo breaks, so stay tuned for that and a whole lot more Cinema Blend Star Wars coverage. And look for the latest chapter in the legendary sci-fi series when it hits theaters on December 16th.
