Skip to main content

Ignore the rumors: Lucasfilm pres says ‘Rogue One’ reshoots won’t alter character of film

rogue one reshoots kathleen kennedy star wars trailer breakdown 0001
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Rumors about Rogue One have been flying faster than Han Solo on The Kessel Run. First, we heard the film was undergoing reshoots to add a little more levity into the mix; then we heard that up to 40 percent of the film needed reshooting after poor test screenings; then we heard that screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie would be on set to oversee reshoots; and now — it looks like very little (if any) of this is true.

The only thing that seems safe to say at this point is that reshoots are, in fact, taking place. A report from Entertainment Weekly, however, suggests that they won’t look to change the film’s story or even its tone, the latter of which was wildly speculated online.

Said Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, “there’s nothing about the story that’s changing, with a few things that we’re picking up in additional photography. I think that’s the most important thing, to reassure fans that it’s the movie we intended to make.” She went on to add “One of the things we’re doing with these Star Wars stories is embracing the uniqueness of the different genres, and we’re very deliberately leaning into the various styles of directors that we’re approaching so that each of these movies will very intentionally have a very different tone and style from the saga films.”

Well, there you have it. Straight from the horse’s mouth.

It’s rare that we get such a clear cut and direct answer to anything Star Wars-related and we’re inclined to take Kennedy at her word. If the rumors really are true, better to be silent than lie and compound the problem.

It’s nice to have a little clarity and this feels like good news to us, since many fans found the dark/intense tone of the trailer captivating. Rogue One represents something new in the Star Wars film universe, it makes sense that it should feel different from the original saga.

In short: It looks like the massive amount of media attention this project is getting created a good old fashioned tempest in a teapot. Said director Gareth Edwards “It’s funny, making a film stops you believing anything you’ve ever read on the internet.”

Rogue One is still scheduled to hit theaters December 16, 2016. The film stars Ben Mendelsohn, Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen, and Forest Whitaker.

Editors' Recommendations

Adam Poltrack
Adam is an A/V News Writer for Digital Trends, and is responsible for bringing you the latest advances in A/V…
Obi-Wan Kenobi series delay won’t change premiere date, says Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor Obi-Wan

The eagerly anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi series has hit rocky ground, with backers Disney+ and Lucasfilm at a very late stage ditching the only two scripts that have so far been written for the show, The Hollywood Reporter (THR) claimed on Thursday, January 23.

Citing “multiple sources” with knowledge of the matter, THR said the series, starring Ewan McGregor in a reprise of his Star Wars prequels role, has been “put on hold” as the companies search for a new writer to replace Hossein Amini, who previously penned the Ryan Gosling thriller Drive and also received an Oscar nomination for The Wings of the Dove.

Read more
10 best R-rated movies streaming right now
A woman and her child stands next to a dead body in Anatomy of a Fall.

R-rated movies are typically expected by audiences to push the boundaries of what can be depicted on the big screen. Whether it's gory horror movies or steamy erotic thrillers, these movies were designed specifically to get an "R" rating and be shown primarily to adults.

From modern masterpieces like Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer to classics like Alien, some of the best R-rated movies ever made are available to stream on different platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Max. With bold narratives and unfiltered realism, these are great picks for an enjoyable movie night among adult friends.

Read more
Stop! Watch these Netflix movies before March 2024 ends
Robert Pattinson in The Batman.

One of the blessings of streaming services like Netflix is that, in addition to their libraries of original titles, they also have titles that come and go on a regular basis. While the introduction of new titles is always nice, the downside is that titles usually leave the service when new ones join.

As March turns into April, we're going to lose some genuinely great movies on Netflix. While you still have time, though, you should check these three very different movies out.
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore - Original Theatrical Trailer

Read more