ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (2016): Gareth Edwards Says Star Wars Film Is Like No Other

Gareth Edwards shares new details about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The Monsters and Godzilla director says that the upcoming film will be very different from previous Star Wars installments.

Edwards disclosed the information at Star Wars Celebration 2016 in London. Speaking to reporters from Comingsoon.net and other outlets after a panel, the director explained what he and the team behind Rogue One did to make the film stand out from previous Star Wars films:

“If you look at what George [Lucas] was great at, he’s telling a story about one thing and has a million other things going on in the background,” Gareth Edwards explains. “Ideas that are much wider. Obviously, our film is using that and telling a story within it.”

Part of that story involves the introduction of the planet Jedah, a world of spiritual importance to those who believe in the Force.

“It’s like if ‘A New Hope’ is the story of Jesus, there must be a whole religion beyond that,” Gareth Edwards continues. “For a thousand generations, the Jedi were the leaders of this spiritual belief system. There have to be places like Mecca or Jerusalem in the Star Wars world. It also felt very contemporary to have a situation where the Empire is imposing itself on what means a lot to the spiritual side of Star Wars. Their beliefs and their goals. Within that, there’s a resistance that’s trying to fight back. Our characters end up going to Jedah and they basically end up getting pulled into their story a little bit.”

Elaborating on how the planet and it’s history effect the movie’s overall narrative, Edwards stated that he decided to blend traditional Star Wars methods of storytelling with a more naturalistic approach, justifying this move on the grounds that the events in the context of the film are and thus should be approached as a “real historical event.”

Leave your thoughts on Gareth Edwards explaining what makes Rogue One: A Star Wars Story different from other Star Wars movies (via Comingsoon.net) in the comments section below. For more Rogue One: A Star Wars Story photos, videos, and information, visit our Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Page, and consider subscribing to us by Email, “following” us on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, or “liking” us on Facebook for quick updates. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is set for release on December 16th, 2016.