In case you missed it, the final trailer for the upcoming feature film, Star Wars: Rogue One, was debuted this morning. Rogue One is the first in a new series of anthology films that do not directly follow the path of the Star Wars films but rather diverge a bit but are still set within the familiar Star Wars universe. The setting for this first film occurs just prior to Star Wars: A New Hope, released way back in 1977, and takes place prior to the attack and subsequent destruction of the first Death Star. Arch nemesis Darth Vader makes a return performance, voiced by none other than James Earl Jones. Look for the film to open on December 16th.

With the imminent debut of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, details are beginning to emerge concerning the next film set in the Star Wars universe, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. According to Wikipedia, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, or simply Rogue One (previously known as Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One), is an upcoming American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Gary Whitta and Chris Weitz, from an idea by visual effects supervisor John Knoll. The film stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen, and Alan Tudyk.

Rogue One is the first film in the Star Wars Anthology series, a collection of stand-alone stories set in the Star Wars universe. The story is set in between the events of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) and Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), and centers on a group of rebel fighters who come together to carry out the mission of stealing the plans for the Death Star.

The film is produced by Lucasfilm and will be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Principal photography began at Elstree Studios, near London during early August 2015. Rogue One will be released on December 16, 2016, one year after the franchise’s upcoming film Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).”