Rogue One director Gareth Edwards reveals Star Wars supremo George Lucas’s verdict on new film

AFTER his ambivalent assessment of The Force Awakens, George Lucas has given his verdict on the new stand-alone Star Wars film Rogue One.

Jyn Erso (played by Felicity Jones) and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in a scene from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Picture: Lucasfilm Entertainment

ANY fans worried that the new “stand-alone” film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will stray too far, far away from the Star Wars galaxy can rest assured.

George Lucas, the man who started it all 39 years ago, approves.

“Two days ago, we got to show George the movie,” Rogue One’s director Gareth Edwards said today during a press event at Lucasfilm HQ in San Francisco.

“I got to speak with him and I don’t want to put words into his mouth, but I can honestly say I can die a happy man. He really liked the movie.

“It was the most important review to me. He’s God, in terms of Star Wars.”

EARLIER: See the trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars story

EARLIER: New director called in for Rogue One

Director Krennic, played by Ben Mendelsohn, in a scene from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Picture: Lucasfilm Entertainment

RELATED: Rogue One is a different type of Star Wars movie

Opening in Australia on December 15, Rogue One is set before the first Star Wars film, A New Hope, and brings life to an element of the original movie’s famous opening crawl: “Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the Death Star.”

The film stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Hong Kong martial arts star Donnie Yen and, as the man in charge of building the Death Star, Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn.

New faces in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story include Jyn Erso (played by Felicity Jones) in foreground and Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) in the background at left. Picture: Lucasfilm Entertainment

Mendelsohn, who describes himself as “a first generation Star Wars fanboy”, plays an Imperial officer imposing enough to go toe to toe with Darth Vader.

Edwards revealed Mendelsohn had an interesting method for finding his inner bad guy on set.

“Ben is so relaxed … I thought he was reciting Shakespeare to get himself into character, then I would listen carefully and realise he was singing (the Michael Jackson song) Billie Jean. And even (a song from) Frozen.”

Mendelsohn wasn’t so relaxed when it came to acting opposite Vader.

The director shared an anecdote about Mendelsohn calling him over for a private chat midway through filming one scene.

All the actor really wanted to get off his chest was: “It’s Darth f---ing Vader!”

Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) meets Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) in a scene from upcoming movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Picture: Lucasfilm Entertainment

Said Mendelsohn: “The first thing you have to do is just get over the fact you’re doing a scene with Darth Vader, and that took me a little while. It took a while to feel like I could answer him with some solidity, like we could have a discussion.”

Back in June, leaks suggested Rogue One was in trouble and needed extensive reshoots. But Mendelsohn has been one of its biggest cheerleaders all along and reckons it’s “top three” among all the Star Wars films.

The franchise was rebooted last year with The Force Awakens, which ended its incredible box office run as the No. 2 highest grossing film of all time in Australia.

Originally published as Rogue One director Gareth Edwards reveals Star Wars supremo George Lucas’s verdict on new film