Hi everyone! Sorry it’s been a while since the last Trailer Breakdown, it’s just been a fairly underwhelming time for trailers recently, in my opinion. That all changed earlier today when the teaser dropped for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Here it is:
Set just prior to the original Star Wars, the plot sees a rebellious soldier by the name of Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything) being recruited by the Rebellion to help liberate the plans for a new mammoth weapon the all-powerful Galactic Empire is preparing, a weapon that will go on to blow up a little planet called Alderaan, and which poses a threat to anyone standing in the Empire’s way. So it’s another Star Wars prequel, but it looks considerably different from anything of that description we’ve seen before. Let’s break it down, shall we?
Interestingly, Jyn seems to start out as a prisoner of the Rebellion, judging by the red light on her wrist restraints. Presumably she has been apprehended, but showed enough promise to be of use. So far, so Escape From New York. Count me in. Also, and apologies for nerding out, but that weird little box on legs to the right of the frame? It’s a GNK Power Droid! A Gonk! Yay!
Two screenshots in and I’m already fully on board with this film. Take my money now. This is like the market scene from Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, there’s so much going on in this frame! A bunch of soldiers just marched past, vehicles are getting repaired, droids and workers are milling around looking serious, stuff is getting done.
Meet Jyn, in front of the web of a spider on LSD. Apparently she has been brought in on charges of forgery of Imperial documents, possession of stolen property, aggravated assault and resisting arrest. Sounds like just the right person to nick the Empire’s secrets.
This rap sheet is being read by these two. The man, whose name is as yet unknown, is played by Alistair Petrie, who you may have seen recently in The Night Manager. The woman, however, is none other than leader of the Rebellion Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly, reprising her cut role from Revenge of the Sith, replacing Caroline Blakiston from Return of the Jedi). This film promises to be light on actual character connections to any films we’ve seen before, but Mon Mothma is about the right calibre to wink at the fans without being too distracting.
Skulking in the shadows is Diego Luna, who will probably initially be Jyn’s team leader/potential love interest, but doubtless she’ll eventually take over things at an opportune moment when he needs her help and must bow to her superior something or other.
Here, editing-wise, is apparently what Jyn was brought in for. That odd blurry shape behind her is the arm and upper torso of a robot. Alan Tudyk is supposedly voicing a character somewhere here, and I’m hoping it’s that ‘bot, because Tudyk is awesome, I want him to be in the film a great deal, and that thing shows up later in the trailer. Could he be Rogue One‘s equivalent to C-3PO, only hopefully less annoying?
Rey kicking arse. Nice. So how long will it be before people start complaining that all the new Star Wars movies have strong female leads? Because I for one am feeling discriminated against already. Where are the out of shape grouchy guys with bad complexions and no sense of style?
Explosions! With Stormtroopers in them! I do enjoy Stormtroopers in the Star Wars films, especially when they’re being blown up. That guy ain’t walking this off.
So Jyn has been alone “from the age of fifteen; reckless, aggressive, undisciplined.” Sound like a certain scruffy-looking nerf-herder to you? I love her reply too: “This is a rebellion, isn’t it? I rebel.” Perfect.
It’s here that Jyn receives her mission, to look into an impending major weapons test, find out what it is and how to destroy it.
So what is this weapon? Well it’s not that Star Destroyer, that’s for sure. What is that thing behind it, some kind of moon?
Wait, that’s no moon! It’s the Death Star! This is my favourite shot of the film, and for reasons pretty unique to me. You see, I’m an engineer by trade, so the shot of them assembling the Death Star piques my interest like nothing else. I’ve often wondered how something so gargantuan could be assembled, even in the vast expanses of space, so this just lights up my eyes. I’d quite happily watch a time lapse video of a Death Star being built from scratch. I’d love it. Of course, this one shot doesn’t answer many questions (The one I’m genuinely most interested in is how does gravity work on it? Does everyone stand with their feet pointing to the core? If not, how? ) and it’s unlikely that we’ll be given huge swathes of information on how to construct your own Death Star, but I can dream.
Jyn and Diego Luna heading out, whilst a frankly awful alarm sounds. It sounds like a dying eopie. But forget that, theres another Gonk droid! Or maybe the same one. Regardless, I love they’re getting screen time in the trailer.
So we’ve met the good guys, but who are they fighting? Enter Ben Mendelsohn, otherwise known as one of the go-to guys for playing dastardly shits in movies, and playing them incredibly well. It’s unclear who he’ll be playing yet, but it looks like a role similar to Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing). Whoever it is, I’m stoked about the casting.
Another mystery is the identity of this figure in the hood on the left. The biggest name missing from the trailer is Mads Mikkelsen, could that be him? Also, Stormtroopers riding a tank. Hell yes.
Wait, Forest Whittaker is in this? I genuinely had no idea, but am completely fine with this. He gets the more ominous sounding narration for the second half of the trailer, asking someone “What will you do when they catch you? What will they do if they break you? If you continue to fight, what will you become?” So to him, whomever he is talking to will unquestionably be captured, but what happens after that is still in question. I’ve heard there won’t be any Jedi in Rogue One, but if Whitaker turns out to be a secret Yoda-like mentor, you’ll hear no complaints from me.
An all-black Stormtrooper-type in front of something on fire, billowing dark smoke? This must be a good guy. Could this be Mikkelson? Maybe it’s Jonathan Aris (Sherlock), he’ll probably be playing a villain of some sort too, because he has that kind of face (no offence).
Something has gone wrong with the plan for Jyn and Luna, but their surroundings suggest they’re inside the Death Star. And running behind them? That’ll be maybe-robo-Alan-Tudyk. If that is him, this won’t be the first time he has played a robot, with his turns as Sonny in I, Robot.
Now, are these Stormtroopers running across a flat surface, or around the curvature of the Death Star? Do the ones on the level above need to run faster to keep up, to allow for the slightly greater distance? Welcome to the inside of my head, people!
It’s Donnie Yen, from the Ip Man films! Something tells me those Stormtroopers should start running away sometime soon.
Yep, Yen is laying the smackdown. Looking forward to seeing a good deal of this. This guy doesn’t need a lightsabre, he’s got a stick.
Explosions! A battle is taking place on land, somewhere with trees. So… Endor? No, these look nothing like the redwoods in California.
Mendelsohn again. And no, he isn’t walking on water, it’s a shallow pool, judging by the Stormtrooper bodies. Cool shot, whatever is going on.
And an even cooler cut to this clearly evil figure. Those red blokes are the Emperor’s Royal Guards, so is that Darth Sidious in the centre? I’d be surprised if it is, and even more so if it’s Darth Vader. For now the identity is a mystery.
Another of Jyn’s crew, I think this is a guy being played by Jiang Wen. Evidently some kind of expert in heavy weaponry, running away from explosions and avoiding barbers.
Here’s that aforementioned battle, seen from the ground. There had better be a Wilhelm scream attached to that figure flying top right. But what are they all running from/to?
Oh my word! AT-ATs! Yay! These are my favourite Star Wars vehicle, and one of my favourite elements of Star Wars in general, so I am beyond excited to see them getting some action here. How will these foot-bound runners take them down without tow-cable-equipped Speeders? Will someone climb up one? Are we going to get a Lord of the Rings-style shot of a Legolas-like character (Riz Ahmed?) flying around it and taking one down, single-handedly? OK, now I need that to happen.
Whaaaaaaaaat? Jyn in an evil-doers outfit? Surely not! The fact that this is in the trailers suggest this is a disguise, a major plot twist like this would not be given away this early on, surely? Unless, of course, this is from the very beginning of the film, and Jyn is undercover in the Rebellion the whole time, sabotaging things for the benefit of the Empire? Probably not, but it’s possible. If that is the case, I’d bet money on Diego Luna turning her to the light side by the end of the film.
Title card! Rogue One is being directed by Gareth Edwards, whose Monsters was excellent, but Godzilla proved a little disappointing, especially after some terrific trailers. Let’s hope he has enough guidance to pull this one through, because at this point this teaser has me pretty pumped.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is released in December 2016.
What are your thoughts on the trailer?