Yesterday it was widely reported that Disney was in a panic over early test screenings forRogue One: A Star Wars Story, which didn’t go well. It was later confirmed that extensive and very expensive reshoots are happening this summer on the first of manyStar Wars spinoffs. But it wasn’t because of these so-called poor advanced screenings. They actually never happened. Only Disney’s top brass have seen the first cut ofRogue One, and apparently they didn’t like it. Now we know why.
Executives at Disney and Lucasfilm believe the movie is not tonally in-line with what aStar Warsmovie is supposed to be, claimsThe Hollywood Report. But that’s not the only reason reshoots are happening. Disney also wants to use the movie to set up an introduction forAlden Ehrenreich’s young Han Solo before the character gets his own movie in 2018. The actor came into the Disney and LucasFilm family after the firstStar Wars Storyhad wrapped.
Rogue Oneis undergoing several weeks ofadditional shooting, something that also happened toThe Force Awakensbefore it went onto earn $2 billion at the worldwide box office. DirectorGareth Edwardswill be back on set with most of the main cast, which is headlined byFelicity Jones,Mads Mikkelsen,Ben Mendelsohn,Diego Luna,Donnie YenandForest Whitaker. The story, which revolves around a group of Rebels infiltrating the Imperial Army to steal plans to the first dreaded Death Star, is said to arrive at its arousing climax just ten minutes or so before Leia gets her hands on the plans, and is able to hide them in R2-D2. And that’s the major problem.
As it stands,Rogue One: A Star Wars Storyis not tonally in line withA New Hope, which it should seamlessly transition into. This outing is being described as a ‘War Movie’ by someone close to the production who wishes to remain nameless. It is very dark. The goal is to inject some much needed humor into the movie, bringing some levity, fun and the same sense of adventure that falls in line withA New Hope. The unnamed source goes onto say this.
“This is the closest thing to a prequel ever. 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!”
The appearance of Han Solo in the movie has not been confirmed by anyone associated with LucasFilm nor Disney at this point. And some fans don’t think he fits into the story being told whatsoever. That said, earlier reports claimed that theHan Solo cameowill be on par with Luke Skywalker’s one-minute appearance inStar Wars: The Force Awakens, and will be nothing more than a quick glimpse at the space pirate in the days leading up to his fateful meeting with Ben, Luke and their two droids on Tatooine.
Sources are now saying thatRogue One: A Star Wars Storyis a good solid movie. Perhaps even a blockbuster that will make tons and tons of money. But Disney has the bar raised high afterThe Force Awakens, and this first spinoff not only needs to reach that bar, but vault over it. Says the studio insider.
“Anything less than extraordinary won’t do.”
Whilereshootsused to be a sign that a movie was in trouble, that perception has been changed over the course of the last few years. Especially when it comes to Disney. Most notably with their Marvel movies. Each new superhero adventure coming out of the mouse house already has time written into the schedule for reshoots with all actors in case they are needed. And they have been needed on all of the previously released Marvel Studios movies. Even the recentCaptain America: Civil Warunderwent reshoots. As for the additional photography needed forRogue One, Disney and Lucasfilm are calling it business as usual.
