Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | experience it all.

The very first standalone Star Wars movie is coming soon, and to (ahem) celebrate, Disney and Lucasfilm shared this Rogue One sizzle reel at Star Wars Celebration in London this week. The nearly three-minute reel takes you in front of and behind the camera, giving you an inside look at how much effort is going into making the world of Star Wars come to life outside the confines of the three trilogies. Episode VII director J.J. Abrams was praised for his use of practical effects in The Force Awakens, and it looks like Rogue One helmer Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) is taking a page out of Abrams’ playbook. The gritty war zones that makeup Rogue One are littered with real explosions and imaginative creature costumes. Of course, these moviemakers simply couldn’t put on the show without pushing the limits of CG animation, but it’s good to know that where possible, what we end up seeing on the big screen is the real deal.

Go on and enjoy the reel; in it you’ll also hear from the cast and crew and maybe learn a little more about the resistance fighters’ daring mission to steal the Death Star plans. Celebration attendees left the panel with the first official poster for Rogue One, and you can eyeball it after the break; that tropical locale in the teaser and sizzle reel now has a name and it’s Scarif. Also screened at the panel but not released on the Internet (yet) was the second teaser trailer for the flick; spoiler alert, it ends with the mother of all teases: Darth Vader is back!

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theatres December 16, 2016. Continue reading ‘Rogue One’ sizzle reel shows off ‘Star Wars’ practical effects (New poster inside!) →

UPDATE (4/7): As promised, here is the first teaser trailer for Rogue One! It debuted on Good Morning America this morning, and it packs quite the punch even for a one-minute forty-second tease. John Williams’ iconic score has a new edge here, blending his classic keys with something entirely new. It introduces Felicity Jones’ character, who we now know is named Jyn Erso. “This is a rebellion, isn’t it? I rebel,” she says and just like that she immediately wins the hearts of Star Wars fans everywhere. Ben Mendelsohn looks to be channeling his inner evil he commands so well (see Bloodline) as an Imperial villain, and Forest Whitaker comes to Jyn’s aid in stealing the Death Star plans with a warning: “If you continue to fight, what will you become?” Also, be on the lookout for exciting callbacks to the original trilogy; Mon Mothma and the AT-ATs are back, and is that The Emperor underneath a black robe? Enjoy!

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theatres December 16, 2016. The initial teaser for the teaser has been moved under the fold.

PREVIOUS (4/6): Yes, it’s a teaser for a teaser but… STAR WARS! Tomorrow Disney drops the first official teaser trailer for the Star Wars spinoff movie, Rogue One. To get your blood pumping, the studio’s released this 10-second teaser of the teaser and even it cannot disappoint. You’ll hear TIE Fighters whizzing, you’ll catch a glimpse of a stormtrooper dressed in all-black armor, and that’s pretty much it! Just enough to raise the hairs on every Star Wars fanboy and fangirl out there who are surely still high off The Force Awakens. Be sure to check back here Thursday morning for the full teaser.

So here’s what we know so far about Rogue One. Continue reading ‘Star Wars’ spinoff ‘Rogue One’ teaser trailer arrives →