‘Star Wars Rogue One’ adds Forest Whitaker to join Felicity Jones, Ben Mendelsohn

The cast of the first Star Wars Anthology film, Rogue One just added a serious actor with Forest Whitaker joining the great cast, which already includes Felicity Jones, Riz Ahmed, Diego Luna and Ben Mendelsohn.

Variety reported the news of Whitaker joining the film, directed by Godzilla‘s Gareth Edwards.

Forest Whitaker (rignt) in “Taken 3” has joined “Star Wars: Rogue One”

“Whitaker is currently filming Denis Villeneuve sci-fi drama The Story of Your Life opposite Amy Adams, and is in negotiations to follow that film with The Crow remake in the fall before jumping into production on Star Wars: Rogue One…”Variety reports.

Jones plays a Rebel solider, and there are reports that Riz Ahmed and Diego Luna will also be Rebel characters, with Ben Mendelsohn tipped as a villain.

JoBlo just reported rumors that the film will be akin to the movie Hamburger Hill.

The story takes place between Star Wars episodes III and IV, and features the theft of plans for the original Death Star by a band of Rebels.

At Star Wars Celebration, a panel including Edwards and Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy said this film will explore moral grey areas and realities of war. This will be a film without Jedi. Director Gareth Edwards said earlier this year “The absence of the Jedi hangs over the movie.”

Rogue One is set to arrive in theaters on December 16, 2016.

On the DISPATCH: Headlines Local Opinion

About the Author

Stephen Nevets - Stephen is a contributor and writer on The Dispatch. Stephen is the founder and editor for the Steven Spielberg Fan Club website and contributes to pop culture stories on The Dispatch, especially upcoming movie news. Beginning in 2016, Stephen took the role of Managing Editor for the Tampa Dispatch.