So you think you know everything about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story? We all know that the movie went through an extensive reshoot after Disney executives saw the film during a screening well before the movie debuted in theaters. But, just how much of the film changed?
In a new interview with The Playlist, writer Chris Weitz talked a little about his version of the script, and how it evolved over time to the final cut of the film delivered by Tony Gilory.
“The version prior to [mine] didn’t have everyone die,” writer Chris Weitz has revealed. “As a matter of fact, it ended with a wedding. I think it was on the presumption that Disney wouldn’t allow characters to die with such abandon.”
“I felt it was necessary because nobody ever mentions them or sees them again,” he continued. “But also because we’ve done this whole sort of theme about sacrifice that it was appropriate that all of our main characters die.”
What changed between Weitz’s version and Gilroy’s final cut?
“If you imagine the beginning of the second act and the end of the second act kind of swapping places, that would not be an inaccurate way to portray how it structurally was changed,” Weitz said.
He added, “The Darth Vader kicking ass I cannot take credit for. That was a later invention. That was quite different…A lot of the deaths were put in different locations than they were originally put in the script and were originally shot. I’m not sure why, for instance, K-2 died in a different place.”
He went on to explain that earlier versions of the script handled the Death Star in a very different way and there would have been some mystery about the Empire’s weapon. “It wasn’t clear at the beginning of the movie that the Death Star was going to be the Death Star. It was just the sense in the Rebellion that something bad was going down and we need to find out about it. There was this developing sense of dread throughout the film.”
He continues saying that most of what you read online about the changes to the film were true. In any case, it makes one realize why an official “Making of” book was never released for this film. Hopefully one day, when Lucasfilm feels that it is far enough behind them, that they can finally release one of those type books for this film.
About Rogue One: A Star Wars Story:
From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers.
