Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger officially unveiled the title of the first Star Wars spinoff movie today during a shareholder meeting as Rogue One.
An official press release from StarWars.Com describes it as “the first film in a unique series of big-screen adventures that explores the characters and events beyond the core Star Wars saga.”
The stand alone pic will be directed by Godzilla’s Gareth Edwards and now has The Theory Of Everything’s Felicity Jones confirmed to star. About A Boy’s Chris Weitz is tapping out a script based on earlier work completed by Gary Whitta.
Jones has long been rumoured for the leading role after the Oscar-nominee appeared on a shortlist alongside Tatiana Maslany and Kate Mara.
Rogue One will enter production this summer in London, with a release date pencilled in for December 16, 2016.
Elsewhere in a galaxy far, far away, the sequel to J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens also received an important update.
Looper’s Rian Johnson has now been officially confirmed to write and direct the follow-up, which at this point is being developed under the title Star Wars: Episode VIII. It is poised to arrive in theaters on May 26, 2017, five months after Edwards’ spinoff.
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