‘Rogue One’: Darth Vader is back and 10 major Star Wars Celebration reveals

LONDON, United Kingdom – Star Wars fans of different sorts of backgrounds gathered for the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story panel at the Star Wars Celebration in ExCeL London Exhibition Center on July 15, Friday.

The filmmakers and cast – Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, Felicity Jones, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Alan Tudyk, Mads Mikkelsen, Forest Whitaker and Ben Mendelsohn – appeared onstage to speak about their experiences filming Rogue One without divulging too much.

Gwendoline Christie, who played Captain Phasma in Episode VII: The Force Awakens, moderated the panel.

Technical difficulties notwithstanding, everyone was thrilled to get the latest scoop on the upcoming Star Wars film. Here are some of them:

Darth Vader’s return confirmed

 

While Darth Vader’s return was already previously reported, the panel at the Star Wars Celebration confirmed that the iconic baddie formerly known as Anakin Skywalker plays a yet-to-be-specified role in Rogue One.

The original voice of Vader, James Earl Jones – who is in his 80s – will play a role in the film, director Gareth reveals.

Jyn Erso is different from other Star Wars heroes

Unlike Rey or Luke Skywalker, Felicity Jones, who plays the character said: “We know where she’s come from, and that fact propels that story.” She’s lived a “full life,” Gwendolyn continued.

Galen Erso, scientist and Jyn’s father

Mads Mikkelsen plays Jyns dad Galen Erso, a scientist who invents something so fantastic it cd change universe pic.twitter.com/QwGbg5MVFu

— Wyatt Ong (@wyattcaraway) July 15, 2016

 

Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) as Jyn Erso’s father – a scientist who invented something “so beautiful and fantastic”

Director Orson Krennic, a ‘different kind of villain’

Ben Mendelsohn has crowd on their feet. His Krennic is a unique and politically motivated villain. He wont say more. pic.twitter.com/EsvO1FWbZG

— Wyatt Ong (@wyattcaraway) July 15, 2016

 

“He’s an Australian kind. We do villainy very well. He is smarter than any of hispredecessors. He’s inventive,” quips Ben Mendelsohn, who plays the Empire henchman. He is the kind who is politically motivated, but the actor was very tight-lipped when it came to additional details.

Ben even went all bonkers as he even made a grand entrance in costume while surrounded by Death Troopers.

Saw Gerrera, grizzled guerilla fighter

Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera #SWCE pic.twitter.com/HUKUspXbVb

— Paolo Abad (@PaoloJAbad) July 15, 2016

 

Saw Gerrera is a grizzled guerilla fighter we’ve previously seen in the Clone Wars series. A polarizing figure even within the rebels’ circle, Saw has been through a lot and asks many of the tough questions our heroes will no doubt be facing.

Chirrut Îmwe and his BFF, Baze Malbus

Opposites attract: Chirrut (Donnie Yen), a sage-like blind warrior-monk, is friends with Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen), a gun-toting soldier.

Jiang Wen plays Baze Malbus – described as a "doer" at the #SWCE#RogueOne@rapplerdotcompic.twitter.com/pY5NZX5j5X

— Vernise L. Tantuco (@verntantuco) July 15, 2016

 

Here’s @DonnieYenCT#RogueOne@rapplerdotcompic.twitter.com/kcNZwZeAbq

— Vernise L. Tantuco (@verntantuco) July 15, 2016

 

One has guns, the other has a staff. One is a doer, the other is a thinker – as the actors described them. The two hail from Jedha, a planet occupied by the Empire.

Bodhi Rook, reluctant pilot for the Empire

Riz Ahmed’s Bodhi works for the Empire to earn a living – and his home planet is occupied by the Empire – this makes him question his career.

Captain Cassian Andor and his droid friend K-2SO

"I’m 7-foot-one and black, which is really my inner person." – Alan Tudyk on his character, K-2SO, at the #SWCE! pic.twitter.com/ak490dPw36

— Vernise L. Tantuco (@verntantuco) July 15, 2016

 

K-2SO is an Imperial droid “reprogrammed by the Rebellion,” reveals Diego Luna who plays Cassian Andor. Alan Tudyk plays the droid who is given the nickname “Kaytoo.”

Cassian works for the Rebellion’s intelligence, but is so dedicated to his own role that his “friend” is a way-too-frank droid.

“If you know old people, it’s like that,” Alan describes his droid character in a nutshell. “He says whatever he thinks.”

New poster

A new poster shows a confrontation scene set in a beach-like setting – Scarif, which shot in the Maldives.

The Death Star rises in this new poster for #RogueOne: A Star Wars Story. Just revealed at #SWCE! pic.twitter.com/BwfqI2MRfm

— Star Wars UK (@StarWarsUK) July 15, 2016

 

Exclusive new trailer

The trailer shows a lot of the suffering experienced by people in the hands of the Empire. 

It also reportedly shows Vader’s signature silhouette and heavy breathing – if only the rest of the Internet could see him.

Jyn can be also heard saying there isn’t time for them. As time passes, they get weaker, but Jyn is hinting that they could actually make a difference.

 

Set in a time prior to the events of Episode IV: A New Hope, Rogue One follows a band of fighters employed by the Rebel Alliance, as they set out to do the unthinkable: steal the plans for the Galactic Empire’s Death Star – most likely the same one that Princess Leia gave R2-D2 in A New Hope.

Are you excited to learn more about the upcoming Rogue One film? Let us know in the comments! – with reports from Wyatt Ong/Rappler.com