- Title: Star Wars takes over Hollywood as 'Rogue One' launches
- Date: 11th December 2016
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** DIRECTOR GARETH EDWARDS BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR, GARETH EDWARDS, SAYING: "I think the marketing department has done an amazing job but thankfully they haven't played our best hand and so I'm excited tonight because I think the best is yet to come. I know people have seen a lot of stuff but we've kept some surprises for everyone." JONES POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS LUNA WALKING TOWARDS PRESS JONES BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, FELICITY JONES, SAYING: "I had to be in the gym for far too long which I have to say is not enjoyable but for the sake of Star Wars I was prepared to do it but I love that side of it, a bit like a tomboy. I just threw myself into it. Literally there were moments where I was thrown on the ground doing a stunt and that kind of thing and it's just good fun and it's a nice change from other work that I've done before but mostly there's a lot of pleasure going on even though it looks painful on the outside." CROWDS ON RED CARPET WITH X-WING IN THE BACKGROUND VARIOUS LUNA (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, DIEGO LUNA, SAYING: "I thought too many nights about what was going to happen tonight. I had nightmares, I had other moments where I went 'This is it, it's going to be great!'. I just want to live it with my kids and enjoy it and become a fan again and be back in the audience and share 'Rogue One' with the world. It feels like a special night. I feel a lot of love tonight so I feel it's going to go well." LUNA AT PHOTOCALL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ACTOR, DIEGO LUNA, SAYING: "I feel so lucky to be here, I'm feel emotional, so nervious, I have to accept it, because sharing the film with the fans is something special, something I've been waiting for a long time, so of course I feel nervous, I want everything to be perfect, I hope people can enjoy as much as I did when I watched it, I feel I'll be much more relaxed after 2 hours. I had to take a mezcal before, so yes, I feel nervous." ACTORS ALAN TUDYK, DONNIE YEN AND LUNA AT PHOTOCALL (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, DONNIE YEN, SAYING: - ON HOW HE ORIGINALLY DIDN'T WANT TO DO THE MOVIE "All my friends and everybody came out and said 'We're so excited for you. You're the first Chinese actor that's going to be in the Star Wars universe' and everything just dawned on me. I said, you know what? That's right. This is history making here so I'm so glad that I'm standing here in front of the camera." RED CARPET ACTOR RIZ AHMED BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, RIZ AHMED, SAYING: "At a time where the world feels so divided, a movie like 'Star Wars' has the potential to bring people all around the world together. No matter what country you're from, no matter who you voted for, no matter what your situation is, your sexual orientation, your gender. This is truly a story that brings the world together so I think we should celebrate that and embrace that." C3P0 ACTOR ANTHONY DANIELS WITH TUDYK (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, ALAN TUDYK, SAYING: - ON MEETING ANTHONY DANIELS (C3P0) AT THE PREMIERE "C-3PO's face doesn't move. I'm able to do eyes and things like that with the technology that's there now. That he was able to create such a full character as C-3PO just blows me away especially after going through the process of creating a droid. I'm just beside myself that I got to just chat." DANIELS WITH STAR WARS PRODUCER KATHLEEN KENNEDY (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, ANTHONY DANIELS, SAYING: "I'm very excited. I've just come tonight as a fan, you know, because I've watched all the trailers. Clearly it's a different kind of movie, but it's very much Star Wars and after all the years of me being involved, it's great to come from a different angle. I'm very excited." ACTOR MADS MIKKELSEN ON RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, MADS MIKKELSEN, SAYING: "They make good trailers. They give you teases, a little taste. You can only guess. You have no idea." ACTOR BEN MENDELSOHN, YEN AND AHMED ON PRESS LINE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, BEN MENDELSOHN, SAYING: "This is going to be the really tough cousin. People are going to understand exactly where it lives in the Star Wars world and timeline and I feel like this is a much grittier harder edged film and it really packs a hell of a wallop." PRODUCER ALLISON SHEARMUR BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRODUCER, ALLISON SHEARMUR, SAYING: "I think you have no idea even after the first 28 minutes what's going to happen. The last 15 minutes of this movie is a real nail-biter and I cannot wait to enjoy the film with other people and experience it with them." CHEWBACCA ACTOR PETER MAYHEW IN WHEELCHAIR MUSICIAN MOBY TALKING TO FRIEND SINGER RICKY MARTIN WITH JWAN YOSEF AND CHILDREN ACTOR MICHAEL DOUGLAS WITH DYLAN MICHAEL DOUGLAS AND CARYS ZETA-DOUGLAS
- Embargoed: 26th December 2016 04:13
- Keywords: Star Wars world premiere Felicity Jones Gareth Edwards Donnie Yen Diego Luna spin-off Hollywood X-Wing
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- City: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA0035CFTAA5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The wait is finally over for Star Wars fans as the first of its spin-offs, "Rogue One", had its world premiere in an area which covered two blocks of Hollywood Boulevard on Saturday (December 10).
The film, directed by Gareth Edwards, is the story contained within the opening text crawl of the original Star Wars 'A New Hope' and follows the members of The Rebel Alliance who managed to steal the plans of The Empire's planet-destroying Death Star.
While three trailers and toy figures have already been released, Edwards says that all of the film's secrets have not been revealed.
"I think the marketing department has done an amazing job but thankfully they haven't played our best hand and so I'm excited tonight because I think the best is yet to come. I know people have seen a lot of stuff but we've kept some surprises for everyone," he said.
Felicity Jones plays Jyn Erso, the daughter of the man who designed the Death Star and who gets corralled by The Rebels to build a team and steal the plans. The role is far away from other roles that the British actress has done and she feels people may change their perception of her.
"I had to be in the gym for far too long which I have to say is not enjoyable but for the sake of Star Wars I was prepared to do it but I love that side of it, a bit like a tomboy. I just threw myself into it. Literally there were moments where I was thrown on the ground doing a stunt and that kind of thing and it's just good fun and it's a nice change from other work that I've done before but mostly there's a lot of pleasure going on even though it looks painful on the outside," she said.
Mexican actor Diego Luna plays her staunch ally Cassian Andor and expressed worry about launching the film.
"I thought too many nights about what was going to happen tonight. I had nightmares," he said. "I had other moments where I went 'This is it, it's going to be great!'. I just want to live it with my kids and enjoy it and become a fan again and be back in the audience and share 'Rogue One' with the world. It feels like a special night. I feel a lot of love tonight so I feel it's going to go well."
In recent days, a hashtag has appeared on Twitter #dumpStarWars, a tag used by Trump supporters who are against the film because of tweets written (and subsequently deleted) by screenplay writer Chris Weitz.
British actor Riz Ahmed, who plays Bodhi Rook, although unaware of the on-line campaign, reacted by saying "At a time where the world feels so divided, a movie like 'Star Wars' has the potential to bring people all around the world together. No matter what country you're from, no matter who you voted for, no matter what your situation is, your sexual orientation, your gender. This is truly a story that brings the world together so I think we should celebrate that and embrace that."
The new cast of the Star Wars spin-off were joined by Anthony Daniels and Peter Mayhew, who played C-3PO and Chewbacca respectively. For Alan Tudyk, who plays new droid K-2SO, it was an honor to meet the original droid in the series.
"That he was able to create such a full character as C-3PO just blows me away especially after going through the process of creating a droid. I'm just beside myself that I got to just chat," he said.
Chinese star Donnie Yen takes on the role of the blind Chirrut Imwe, although it took his children and friends to persuade him to do it.
"All my friends and everybody came out and said 'We're so excited for you. You're the first Chinese actor that's going to be in the Star Wars universe' and everything just dawned on me. I said, you know what? That's right. This is history making here so I'm so glad that I'm standing here in front of the camera," he said at the premiere.
Other celebrities who turned out to watch the first official screening of the film included singer Ricky Martin, Moby and actor Michael Douglas.
"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" goes on release on December 16 in the US. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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