star wars

If you’re going to fight a Rebellion, you better have some rebellious soldiers. That’s why Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is the key to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, this winter’s big Star Wars standalone film, supposedly the first in an ever expanding cinematic universe of spinoffs from the main movie saga (that continues next December with the still-untitled Episode VIII).

Don’t worry #teens, you’ll all be able to see Rogue One: A Star Wars Story when it hits theaters next month, as the MPAA has officially decided all those explosions and laser gun battles aren’t too scary for the youths. Rogue One got its PG-13 rating today, for “extended sequences of sci-fi violence and action,” which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, since The Force Awakens was rated the same for similar reasons.

“It was Han and Leia during the week, and Carrie and Harrison during the weekend,” she says.

Politics is a total mess these days, but here’s some news out of Washington that veeryone can enjoy. President Obama is the guest editor of the new Wired Magazine, and as part of his work for the publication, he shared his favorite science-fiction movies and television shows. The POTUS even went to the trouble of provide helpful links to where you can watch each of the shows or films online. What a guy.

Fresh from its premiere this morning on Good Morning America, here it is: The new Rogue One: A Star Wars Story trailer. Gareth Edwards directs this direct prequel to the original Star Wars about a plucky band of rebels charged with finding the weakness in the Galactic Empire’s new weapon, the Death Star.

On the latest episode of the YouTube series, The Star Wars Show, host Peter Townley unveiled a never-before-seen member of the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story cast. He may look like R2-D2 with a paint job, but that’s just because ... he looks like R2-D2 with a paint job. But this is a different droid! It’s C2-B5.

In the first teaser trailer for ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,’ Mon Mothma revealed the first details about the movie’s plot: the Rebels were going after the Death Star plans. But the trailer didn’t include Mothma’s full dialogue. Thanks to a new international trailer, we now know who tipped off the Rebel Alliance.

Sad news today for fans of the Star Wars films and Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits: Kenny Baker, the man who brought droid R2-D2 to life, has passed away at the age of 81. According to The Guardian, Baker’s passing comes after a long battle with an unspecified illness.

“There is a 97.6 percent chance of failure,” one of the characters says in the new trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, referring to their scheme to steal the plans for the Death Star. I’m not sure the percentage is that high for the movie itself, but it’s got to be up there. There’s a lot of risk for Rogue One, or at least as much risk as there can be for a Star Wars movie. It’s got to prove that there is life for the franchise beyond the main “saga” films. And it’s got to prove that a prequel can work in Star Wars (previously, it hasn’t always worked out for this property). Even in a galaxy far, far away, those are some awfully big questions.

13-year-old trumpeter Bryce Hayashi got a nice surprise when he and flugelhorn player Michael Miller played an impromptu tribute to John Williams’ Star Wars theme on the lawn of the master composer’s house: Williams himself was home and came out to shake their hands and salute them on their fine playing.

That clip above is the great sizzle reel for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story that just debuted at Star Wars Celebration. But if you were watching the live-feed from the convention, you know that right before the panel wrapped up, Kathleen Kennedy introduced a brand-new Rogue One trailer, that wasn’t streamed live on YouTube. If you weren’t in the room, you were out of luck.

It’s a great new look for a classic old location.