The ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ Teaser is Finally Here

When Disney announced that they were going to release one Star Wars movie a year, every year, from 2015 ’til doomsday, we were skeptical. But when they revealed that the plan was to alternate films in the Star Wars “trilogies” with new, anthology installments set throughout the universe, throughout the Star Wars timeline, we perked up a bit. The stage was set for new ideas, new stories, new styles. The stage was set for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and this morning we got our very first look at the film directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla).

Here’s what we now know: Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) plays a particularly rebellious rebel who has been asked – by Mon Mothma – to steal the plans for the Death Star. She assembles a ragtag group of misfits. That’s about it, really. Donnie Yen will do some kung fu. Forest Whitaker will opine dramatically. Diego Luna will look like a total stud. And Ben Mendelsohn looks kind of like a badass. And the previously white-suited storm troopers are now color coded, a bit of revisionism that may exist to justify the shiny existence of Captain Phasma from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Also: Yes, ‘Ex Machina’ is Better Than ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’

We wish we could say we were completely blown away by the trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but aside from a cool character introduction (see? the identity of a film’s protagonist ISN’T a spoiler!) this trailer comes across like a boilerplate “men on a mission” movie. And we’re sort of fine with that. Star Wars began its lifespan by ripping off the works of Akira Kurosawa (particularly The Hidden Fortress) so it might as well continue by ripping off Seven Samurai.

But a standard genre flick that just happens to be Star Wars doesn’t exactly thrill us the same way that seeing Han Solo did, for the first time in decades. It’s entirely possible that eventually the nostalgic enthusiasm for these films will calm down, and audiences will decide to see them based on whether or not the story looks good, instead of based on whether or not they’re called Star Wars.

Sure, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story looks fine and dandy, but what would it take for your interest to wane? What would a Star Wars film have to look at to make you thing, “Maybe I’ll wait until I read the reviews?”

In any case, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story seems like a pretty cool film. For now. We’ll find out for sure when it premieres on December 16, 2016!

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – New Images

Top Photo: Disney/LucasFilm

William Bibbiani (everyone calls him ‘Bibbs’) is Crave’s film content editor and critic. You can hear him every week on The B-Movies Podcast and watch him on the weekly YouTube series Most Craved and What the Flick. Follow his rantings on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.