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How do!

So we’re now expecting a Rogue Squadron film, currently slated for a 2023 release. So within the next 24 months. Possibly 18, if they chase a May release rather than Chrimbo (those being the SW standard).

Director is Patty Jenkins, and it’s seemingly set post Rise of Skywalker. So what it might cover is up in the air, as that’s a currently (to the best of my knowledge) unexplored era.

Now, I am of course aware of the existing, now Legend series of novels with the same name. And whilst I’ve never read them myself, I understand they’re quite highly thought of. But given the different era, it seems unlikely the movie will be a big screen translation.

Yet? Disney has shown they’re far from squeamish about transplanting ideas, designs, characters and concepts from Legends. So perhaps we can’t rule out some transposition from the novels.

If anyone here has read the novels, please share what you think might translate into what appears to be a “one and done” movie - though I don’t think we can entirely rule out sequels, whether Big Screen or Disney+ series.

My guess is we might see Wedge (who we know is still alive and kicking) involved in some way. As an original Rogue, that would seem to make sense (though depends if Dennis Lawson needs a new Conservatory I guess). And I think it’s a strong guess First Order remnants might be involved in some way - I mean, they gotta have someone to fight, no?

Do you think this is a toe in the water, or a planned gateway to a new era? Speak your brains!

Good timing, Doc - I reread the Rogue & Wraith Squadron books again a couple of months ago.

Honestly? I think they can take chunks of the first book, and reuse it in most eras - it's based around rebuilding Rogue Squadron, as after defeating two Death Stars (and a number of threats since) they'd gotten to the point of burnout, effectively.

Basic idea would be a new squadron of pilots - in X-Wings, dammit - and have your focal character not be Wedge. He would be involved, ideally, but in more of a training officer role - I wouldn't have him as an operational fighter pilot, though. I can't recall what he was doing during the Yuuzhan-Vong mess, but that's a roughly equivalent position in terms of time after RotJ in terms of what he might be physically capable of doing.

I might not even have the focal character be the squadron leader, but still a talented pilot within the squadron. You see this with Corran Horn in the first four books.

Unsurprisingly, you'd need a number of space dogfights, which are normally fun sequences in Star Wars films - I kinda like the idea of opening it in media res, with one of the new pilots dogfighting, only to get shot down - at which point it is revealed to be a simulator sequence, rather than "real life". Heck, if Wedge is involved you could even make it a Death Star II sequence at Endor.

Assuming the Rogue Squadron name still has a reputation in this false era, I can see both the First Order and any Empire remnants having them as a target, as they could be a figurehead unit for the Resistance and/or New Republic. Having them wanting to prevent the squadron coming online provides a threat, especially if you allow for commando raids, etc.

There are some story elements from the first book - and the initial four book arc, really - that don't translate to a post RoS era. The specific big bad - Imperial Director of Intelligence - and certain campaign objectives would be out of date.

It's another Star Wars property that allows you to sidestep the Force, too, aside from using "May the Force be with you" as a good luck expression. OK, there were characters in both the Rogue and Wraith books who ended up being Force-sensitive, but the piloting was the focal point.

If you're thinking one-and-done, you might have to abbreviate the training side of things, and give the squadron a specific objective they're being set up to achieve. Given the rebuild in the books, they were being set up as pilots who could also achieve ground objectives, so maybe lean into that? Opens up options for ground-side firefights, or speeder bike sequences, as well.

In broad strokes the books big plotlines would probably work fine with the First Order replacing the Empire.

Getting Wedge back would be a nice link to the original films. Especially if Dennis Lawson got some decent screen time as a senior officer and/or mentor figure.

And while I'd love to see the T85 X-Wing in live action, I hope they let the ship designers of the leash with this movie. Lets have more variation than the tweaked OT designs they used for a lot of the sequel trilogy.

My only worry is the extremes they kept taking the sequel Trilogy. They might as well have had Michael Bey direct them. Hopefully things that make the Mandalorian such a hit are understood and practiced. Otherwise we'll see Rogue Squadron have to stop the construction of a fleet of a 100 Executors by the First Order Remnant, rather than the more well-thought out setpieces of the book series.

At this point after Rise of Skywalker, are the good guys in any different of a place than post Endor? First Order Remnant is just a retheme of Imperial Remnant.

 AegisGrimm wrote:
My only worry is the extremes they kept taking the sequel Trilogy. They might as well have had Michael Bey direct them. Hopefully things that make the Mandalorian such a hit are understood and practiced. Otherwise we'll see Rogue Squadron have to stop the construction of a fleet of a 100 Executors by the First Order Remnant, rather than the more well-thought out setpieces of the book series.

At this point after Rise of Skywalker, are the good guys in any different of a place than post Endor? First Order Remnant is just a retheme of Imperial Remnant.

In terms of feedback, I think there’s a clear, if not entirely universal, preference for Rogue One style over Exegol style.

Exegol? I did enjoy it. The first time I saw it, it blew me away. But....it was too grand a scale for what they ended up doing with it. Hundreds if not thousands of ships of all size classes arrive, but we see maybe a few dozen fighters giving the Final Order a good What-Six. We didn’t see any Capital Ship vs Capital ship brawling - nor did we see much in the way of dog fighting.

Rogue One? That’s more like it. And of all the Star Wars films, it really show cased why the Rebellion’s tactics were so effective against The Empire. Wing of Y-Wings ion up a Star Destroyer, taking it out of the fight momentarily - and then a far smaller Capital Ship shunting it around. Far fewer ships than Exegol, but all of them playing a role.

In fact, I’d argue that Rogue One combined the best elements of Yavin and Endor on the big screen.

Closer to that, and I’ll be a happy camper.

Saw the rest of the announced shows and its refreshing to see Disney has learned from its mistake of quantity over quality.

Why do we think it is going to be set post RoS? The picture and video both feature a T-65 rather than T-70 or 85 which is the sequel era tech. Would hazard a guess that it is going to be not much post Endor and would love for it to be based around the battle of Jakku.

I would love for the battle of Jakku not to be a thing. It’s okay to treat the ST the way Superman Returns treated Superman IV, or Terminator Dark Fate treated Terminator Genysis, or Highlander the Series treated Highlander 2.

 ingtaer wrote:
Why do we think it is going to be set post RoS? The picture and video both feature a T-65 rather than T-70 or 85 which is the sequel era tech. Would hazard a guess that it is going to be not much post Endor and would love for it to be based around the battle of Jakku.

It’s what the reports are saying - but I can’t find verification myself.

GoatboyBeta wrote:
Getting Wedge back would be a nice link to the original films. Especially if Dennis Lawson got some decent screen time as a senior officer and/or mentor figure.

Wedge did make it to General rank in the EU books, eventually, so he would fit as a senior officer - assuming Dennis wants to sign on, of course.

I wonder if they might grandfather over a couple of the other characters, too - Tycho Celchu (an A-Wing pilot at Endor, who I think technically appears in the film, though unnamed) as another ex-Rogue. I'd love to see Corran Horn on-screen, but that's probably a step or two too far. Emtrey could be amusing, though, if the droid could be expected to survive that long.

Dennis Lawson is something of a wild card - depending on your source.

He’s said to have warned his nephew Ewan McGregor off taking a Star Wars role. And according to Wikipedia, he turned down The Force Awakens. Some say he feared it would bore him - but later reports say it was a scheduling conflict.

However, one suspects that even at the age of 73, a fat old truck of Disney Dollars can be most persuasive?

After all, long may he remain with us, a six figure or more paycheck is a very, very secure retirement. Especially with residuals, appearance fees, image licensing etc.

Iirc the rumour around the time of Ep7 was that he didn't want to just turn up for a cameo. But then in Ep9 that's exactly what he did, so

If the story is post Ep9 I'd like to see Poe back as well, even if its as a supporting character. Oscar Isaac is a fine actor and IMO he(and the rest of the main cast) and his character felt wasted on that movie.

Not only did he show up in episode 9, he also showed up in Star Wars: Squadrons.

All I'm hoping for is decently shot dogfights rather than Bay style blurred whizbang

Oh and Rose back as a ground tech, mostly to push buttons of gak klaxon click hoes

I agree, I'd just like to see some well shot dogfights with some thought having gone into them. The last great one we saw was in Rogue One.

I'm not expecting this to be too close to the old books really, but it would be nice to see actual planned engagements again and not just another SCRAMBLE ALL FIGHTERS affair. Maybe even the return of my two favorite ships the defender and the humble Tie Bomber??

Its an interesting period for Star Wars fans really.

At least now I have HOPE!

After the dark times...After the...sequels.

 Kanluwen wrote:
Not only did he show up in episode 9, he also showed up in Star Wars: Squadrons.

I haven't played Squadrons, but I did like seeing him in the trailer for it

When it comes to SW dogfighting games, you can't have too much Wedge Antilles for me...

Basically, think of the Pilot genre of films and put it in Star Wars, but put a bit more positive spin on it than you normally get.

Seems a bit risky to release a movie titled Rogue Squadron after releasing a movie titled Rogue One. Is the expectation that general audiences have forgotten about Rogue One? Or is Rogue Squadron somehow a loose “sequel” to Rogue One?

Another issue is, one of the major problems of the Disney Trilogy is it never conveys a coherent vision for what the political stakes of the story are. What the factions are, or want, or why is consistently unclear. So in a post-EIX Rogue Squadron movie, one wonders what the context will be. Does this Rogue Squadron serve as a formation of the New Republic military? Is it a kind of successor to the Resistance? Has the Resistance morphed into the Newer Republic? Who is the enemy at this point?

Those who hunted down answers never presented by the Disney Trilogy itself know that the actual Empire (as opposed to the First Order) never entirely fell but rather coexisted with the New Republic as a disarmed but nonetheless sovereign galactic state. So maybe the Empire takes advantage of the First Order’s disruption/destruction of New Republic and Resistance military power to rearm?

The fact that the Disney Trilogy was so irritatingly vague about building and expanding the SW setting means that any post-EIX movies will almost necessarily be a soft reboot. I mean, it’s not even clear (from the films, anyway) that the conflict between the Resistance and the First Order was anything but a kind of brushfire war, aside from the FO atrocities depicted in TFA.

 Manchu wrote:
Seems a bit risky to release a movie titled Rogue Squadron after releasing a movie titled Rogue One. Is the expectation that general audiences have forgotten about Rogue One? Or is Rogue Squadron somehow a loose “sequel” to Rogue One?

One of the ideas behind Rogue One is that the call sign (which was made up on the spot) inspired the name for Rogue Squadron.

Right, that’s what makes me guess it could be intended as a “spiritual sequel.”

I mean, especially so if it is about a new rebellion against a resurgent Empire, right?

So..... everyone dies in the end?


Edit: Sounds like a lot of good "pilot" films to me.

Problem is Rouge One has not only the great Scarif battle, but also lots of 70s haircuts and taches. That's a hard combo to beat

 Easy E wrote:
So..... everyone dies in the end?


Edit: Sounds like a lot of good "pilot" films to me.

Eh, going by the novels I'd expect 33-50% pilots (of a 12 pilot squadron) shot down, though with some of those surviving EV for recovery (depending on mission).

If they end up with sequels, expect a core of six or so to survive each film, but be very wary of new characters...

I just hope we finally see their Imperial counterparts, the evil Rouge Squadron.

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
I just hope we finally see their Imperial counterparts, the evil Rouge Squadron.

As opposed to the 181st, notable for having red stripes painted on the wings of whatever-sort-of-TIE-they're-flying?

Randomly, I ended up interacting with Michael A. Stackpole (author of the Rogue Squadron books) on Twitter - he's all for this film, btw, though I don't think he is involved with the project. Apparently reading novels involving a pandemic to help you through a pandemic is suitably meta...

 Dysartes wrote:

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
I just hope we finally see their Imperial counterparts, the evil Rouge Squadron.

As opposed to the 181st, notable for having red stripes painted on the wings of whatever-sort-of-TIE-they're-flying?

Randomly, I ended up interacting with Michael A. Stackpole (author of the Rogue Squadron books) on Twitter - he's all for this film, btw, though I don't think he is involved with the project. Apparently reading novels involving a pandemic to help you through a pandemic is suitably meta...

fun fact the 181st is canon thanks to SW Squadrons

I’m hoping we might see new ship designs in this.

Sure, updating the X-Wing design works. It’s what we see in the real world after all - updating and improving proven designs.

And I definitely need to see some red hot B-Wing action. Of all the fighter designs, we’ve seen them the least. Only action I can think of is Rebels (which is a prototype, with non-production weapons), and one getting its cockpit shot off during Exegol.

Ah, the B-Wing - described by Wedge as something you drive, rather than pilot

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I’m hoping we might see new ship designs in this.

Sure, updating the X-Wing design works. It’s what we see in the real world after all - updating and improving proven designs.

l.

Yer, 'coz we all know that splitting a turbine engine in half lengthwise makes it work so much better....

To be fair, many real world aircraft have intakes that are a different size and shape to the actual engine.