Info is coming down the comlink that throws some light on the reports that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, due in December of this year, will be getting reshoots later in June.
Now, there isn’t necessarily a reason to get a bad feeling about this. Reshoots are common in Hollywood, especially in effects-laden properties like the upcoming Star Wars anthology film. A more troubling disturbance in the Force is that Disney execs are allegedly second-guessing the tone of Gareth Edwards’ take of how an elite team of rebels actually stole the plans for the Death Star, the ultimate power in the universe. As a Hollywood Reporter source states, “This takes place just before A New Hope and leads up to the 10 minutes before that classic film begins. You have to match the tone!” It appears that execs are concerned about Edwards going off-brand.
If Disney is going run with the franchise and start spamming us with Star Wars movies, they need to not slavishly replicate the “Star Wars” feel as they explore the untold narratives in that universe. A WWII-type “Guns of Navarone” vibe would be great; Lucas himself replicated the 1955 British WWII film The Dam Busters nearly shot for shot in A New Hope for the rebel attack on the Death Star. Having them fly down yet another trench in Rogue One would not be so good. Enough with the trenches, already.
It could be that the reshoots are simply being done to add a Han Solo cameo, setting up Alden Ehrenreich as the new Corellian smuggler. He’ll be getting his own Star Wars anthology film next year, and one hopes it shows a gritty, on-the-periphery Solo who always shoots first.
Many Bothans died to bring us this information. Hopefully, their sacrifice isn’t in vain.
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