It's a good time to be a Star Wars fan. Disney's plan for the franchise includes one movie a year so the galaxy far, far away has never felt closer. And while we will have to wait another year for the next installment in the Skywalker story, this December will bring us the franchise's very first standalone movie. Set right before the events of A New Hope, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will feature a ragtag group of rebels who attempt to steal the plans for the original Death Star, and will feature a handful of franchise favorites returning in live action. And according to Diego Luna, the film will be the most realistic installment of the space opera.
Diego Luna plays Cassian Andor in Rogue One, one of the lead characters in the spinoff. When discussing the upcoming movie with Variety Fair Mexico (via Star Wars News Net), Luna said the following:
I wanted to make my character more natural and realistic. Although people expect the tone of the film to be fantasy, it actually is quite the contrary. It's an intimate story that feels real. I think of all the Star Wars films released so far, Rogue One is the most real one, which is about the people. The characters are very similar to us. They are heroes with no powers. What they have is a conviction and desire to change reality.
Touche, Mr. Luna. We all knew Rogue One was going to be different from the Star Wars films proper, but now it appears that this translates to the actors' performances as well.
Diego Luna makes a very valid point regarding how Rogue One will star characters that don't have a direct connection to The Force. To our knowledge, there are no Jedi within their ranks, as Obi-Wan Kenobi, young Luke and Leia, and Darth Vader should be the final lines of the Jedi at this point of the timeline. The motley crew of rebels that are attempting to steal the Death Star's plans are utterly human, with normal limitations to their abilities in battle.
It also appears that the Rebels will be in poor shape during Rogue One. While Mon Mothma is desperately clinging to hope, it's clear that The Empire has all of the cards and troops in this situation. This will certainly help the tone of the movie feel more realistic (as real as it can be, that is), and centered. The Rebels don't realize that a young Luke Skywalker will make an appearance and change the course of the rebellion forever. They have to do the thing themselves, and possibly lose their lives trying.
It should be interesting to see how many members of the group die during the events of Rogue One. If one of them ends up surviving, will we see an old version of them in the main series? Fingers crossed.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will fly into theaters on December 16th.
