Gareth Edwards' 'Star Wars: Rogue One' Shooting In Three Weeks [Comic-Con 2015]

Even as the world eagerly awaits Star Wars: The Force Awakens — the first Star Wars movie in ten years — Lucasfilm is already pressing on with the next next Star Wars film. At the Star Wars panel at Comic-Con 2015, Kathleen Kennedy confirmed that Gareth Edwards' Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One will shoot later this summer. 

Kennedy revealed the information in response to a question about the future of the Star Wars franchise. "Gareth Edwards starts shooting in three weeks," she revealed to a fan. Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One is already confirmed to open December 16, 2016, so we were already expecting filming to get underway this year. However, her quote now offers a better idea of the timeline for production.

Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One is set between the events of Episode III and IV, and follows a band of Rebels stealing plans for the original Death Star. Felicity Jones stars as a Rebel soldier, and Riz Ahmed and Diego Luna will play Rebel characters as well. Ben Mendelsohn is expected to play a villain, because he's Ben Mendelsohn. Darth Vader is expected to appear, but not as the main antagonist.