Rogue Squadron Is The Next Star Wars Movie
Disney and Lucasfilm have announced the newest Star Wars film, Rogue Squadron, which will be directed by Wonder Woman's Patty Jenkins.
At Disney’s 2020 Investor Day, The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm announced the next film in the Star Wars franchise: Rogue Squadron.
Rogue Squadron will be directed by Patty Jenkins, whose Wonder Woman 1984 will be released this Christmas. The film will focus on fighter pilots in the Star Wars universe. Since Jenkins’ father was a fighter pilot, it makes her a perfect choice for this latest project. Currently, Rogue Squadron is planned for release on Christmas 2023.
In a video posted on Patty Jenkins’ Twitter, she stated she’s always wanted to make “the greatest fighter pilot film of all-time” and with Rogue Squadon, she believes she has finally found the way to make this dream project of hers.
For those not in the know, Rogue Squadron is the name of the legendary X-Wing fighter squadron which destroyed the first Death Star. Back then it was just named Red Squadron, but after that victory they were eventually renamed Rogue Squadron. That group of daring pilots would then go on to be behind the destruction of the second Death Star too. You probably saw them on the Millennium Falcon’s six when they make their Return of the Jedi trench run.
Wedge Antilles is the leader of Rogue Squadron and he has a few very brief appearances in the Star Wars movies. An entire series of Rogue Squadron focused expanded universe books have been written, and they’re incredibly successful. They’re often cited as some of the best Star Wars literary work and really are a must read for any real Star Wars fan. In the books, at one point Rogue Squadron even has an Ewok pilot. Yub yub.
There are also sometimes Jedi as members of Rogue Squadron in the books, but don’t expect this Rogue Squadron movie to be too heavily focused on The Force. Rather expect a lot of thrilling ship on ship fighter pilot action. We don’t know yet exactly when this movie will be set, but best bet is that it’ll take place shortly after the end of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. That would put it around the same time as The Mandalorian, the time period that Disney seems to now be focusing most of the Star Wars franchise on.
It’s worth noting that in past Star Wars lore the name “Rogue Squadron” had no connection at all to “Rogue One”, the name of a prequel Star Wars movie Rogue One and also the name of the commando unit in that movie. It’s possible though that since that commando unit ended up being lauded as heroes, that it’s from them that Rogue Squadron takes its name in this movie.
In addition to Rogue Squadron, Disney reconfirmed during the presentation that Jojo Rabbit and Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi is currently writing another new Star Wars project, which he will also direct.
Beyond Rogue Squadron and Taika Waititi’s film, Disney and Lucasfilm didn’t expand on other rumored projects, such as the film being developed by Kevin Feige, or the trilogy supposedly in the works by The Last Jedi writer and director Rian Johnson.
