It's December, and you know what that means. No, not the holidays. It means it's time for a new Star Wars movie! After The Force Awakens set box office records with its December opening last year, Disney is continuing its new early winter tradition this year with the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on December 16. The film is a prequel of sorts, taking place before Star Wars: A New Hope and telling the story of the mission to steal the original Death Star plans. And there are many questions Star Wars fans have going into Rogue One .
The movie features a cast of almost all new characters, chief amongst them being Jyn Erso, portrayed by Felicity Jones. Jyn is following in the footsteps of The Force Awakens' Rey and represents Lucasfilm's new commitment toward featuring female protagonists at the front and center of the resurgent Star Wars film franchise. From what's been revealed so far, Jyn is recruited by the Rebel Alliance to lead a team on a dangerous mission to steal the plans to the Death Star from the Empire — plans which fans know eventually end up on R2-D2. Other than that, not too much is known about the plot, so here are Star Wars fans' biggest questions about the movie.
1. What Role Will The Force Play?
The movie apparently won't feature any Jedi, but the Force is still talked about a lot in the trailers. So just how prevalent will the Force be in the film?
2. How Much Darth Vader Should Fans Expect?
Obviously, the main draw for a lot of fans is the return of Vader; voiced once again by James Earl Jones. But will his appearance be a mere cameo, or will he play a big role in the film?
3. What Other Known Characters Will Pop Up?
Besides Vader, Mon Mothma and Bail Organa both have confirmed roles in the film, while an appearance by Grand Moff Tarkin is heavily rumored. Will there be anyone else?
4. Is This A Suicide Mission?
There's no sequel coming for Rogue One, and some are theorizing the reason for that is that no one survives the mission.
5. How Connected Is This To The Main Saga?
The plot of the film obviously connects to the plot of A New Hope, but just how deep do its connections run?
6. What’s The Deal With Jyn’s Dad?
Mads Mikkelsen play's Jyn's father, who apparently plays some kind of role in the Death Star's development, but his motivations remain unclear.
7. Is Jyn The Mom Of Someone Important?
Star Wars, up to this point, has been all about familial relations. Will that continue here?
8. What’s The Story Behind The Rest Of These Characters?
In addition to Jyn, the movie introduces lots of new heroes. Who are these people, and can fans expect to see them in later installments?
9. Will There Be Many Practical Effects?
The Force Awakens drew praise for bringing back the use of old school practical effects, and many fans are hoping to see more of the same from Rogue One.
10. What Did Jyn Do?
Before being recruited to the Rebellion, Jyn appears to be locked up as a criminal. So what did she do?
11. How Much Will This Feel Like A Star Wars Movie?
No opening crawl, little use of John Williams' theme, and a darker overall tone have fans wondering if this is even going to feel like a Star Wars movie at all.
Fans won't have to wait too long to get the answers to these questions, but that doesn't make them any less pressing.
Images: Walt Disney Pictures; Giphy
