Gareth Edwards finally shared his thoughts on making Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Edwards served as the director of Rogue One, but multiple reports have stated that Lucasfilm hired Tony Gilroy, a co-writer on the film, to oversee and lead five weeks of reshoots.
What Did Gareth Edwards Say About Rogue One?
While speaking with Variety, Edwards steered clear of addressing the Gilroy reports directly. Instead, Edwards expressed gratitude for having the opportunity to make a film in a galaxy far, far away.
“Look, the only thing I can say is I was incredibly lucky,” Edwards said. “I got to make a Star Wars film. I won the lottery, in that sense. The idea of someone as privileged as me in any way implying that it was anything other than the amazing experience that it was to some extent — like, I don’t have any empathy for that person, and I don’t want to be that person either.”
There has been a lot of speculation around the production of Rogue One. How much of the film’s success should be attributed to Edwards? Does Gilroy, who co-wrote Rogue One with Chris Weitz, deserve more credit for reshaping the final act? Did Dave Filoni film the final scene involving Darth Vader? Variety noted that the closest Edwards came to addressing the Rogue One controversy occurred when he spoke about losing “control over the process.”
“The way you make a film is as important as its screenplay,” Edwards said. “I would take full control over the process and a mediocre screenplay over a really good screenplay and zero control over the process.”
Gilroy returned to the Star Wars universe in 2022 with Andor for Disney+. Serving as a prequel to Rogue One, the series follows the journey of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) from thief to Rebellion hero. The series has been praised by critics and fans, with many calling it the best Star Wars show.
Edwards has moved on from Star Wars and entered the war against AI in his new sci-fi thriller, The Creator. The film follows Joshua (John David Washington), an ex-special forces agent tasked with killing the AI mastermind known as “the Creator.” The Creator arrives in theaters on September 29, 2023.
