The pretty obvious elephant in the room when it comes to
geek culture is this December’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Now that a
freshly cut trailer has made its debut during NBC’s coverage of the Rio
Olympics, fans have been trying to gauge whether or not the force is strong
with this one.
Well, if you spared the two minutes or so already, you
probably have your own conclusion. In my humble opinion, this trailer looks
pretty well put together. I mean, my one complaint about the Star Wars Universe
was that there simply were not enough characters, so it made sense to add a few
more (read: sarcasm).
That being said, Rogue One looks like it will have pretty
common Star Wars elements. Distant planets? Check. A dude that looks like
Morgan Freeman? Check. An annoying droid that just might steal the show? Check.
Massive fight sequences? Check. A cameo from Darth Vader? Big fat check.
The last few seconds with Vader are perhaps the most titillating
few seconds for Star Wars fans since the whole “Chewie, We’re home” statement.
The Sith Lord looks like he is ready to make sure the Death Star goes
operational at best (we all know how the story ends).
It’s always hard to gauge a film from the trailers, because
the comic book and geek set has been somewhat let down this year from film
makers and even television show creators. There have been wins as well, and
that means there should be at least a little bit of confidence in Rogue One.
If any fictional universe can make stand alone stories
happen, it is Star Wars. The simple reason is the amount of characters. Let’s
face it, there are a lot of riveting characters that can be explored in their own
right. Opening the non-timeline films with the story of how the rebels got
their hands on those plans in the first place is actually a stroke of pure
genius.
The story takes place just before Star Wars: A New Hope,
which means there will be plenty of Easter Eggs for fans. Just don’t call it a prequel, because that
ship has sailed.
The success of the film will draw on the nostalgia and
interest from the current massive fan base, which is not really a surprise.
Star Wars fans should flock to Rogue One, it’s the repeat business and the
chance to draw in additional eyeballs to the entire franchise that generate the
huge box office grosses.
Worries about reshoots and changes to what was first
intended to be are both good reasons for concern. However, the new trailer,
which likely will not be the last, should be enough to satisfy the curiosity of
even the most concerned fan. Of course, just like Superman and Batman will tell
you, making a great trailer is one thing, making a great movie is something
altogether different.
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