Star Wars: Rogue Squadron release date | Cast, plot and latest news

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While Star Wars has been thriving on the small screen of late, with the critically acclaimed Disney+ series The Mandalorian, fans have been left wondering when the franchise will return to cinemas.

Fortunately, we now have the first details as Disney has announced Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, a brand new blockbuster that will focus on an incoming group of starfighter pilots.

While details are relatively scarce at present, the project does have a big name director attached in the form of Patty Jenkins, best known for directing 2017’s Wonder Woman and its sequel, Wonder Woman 1984.

Read on for everything you need to know about Rogue Squadron and the future of Star Wars.

When is Star Wars: Rogue Squadron released in cinemas?

At its annual investor call in December 2020, Disney announced that Star Wars: Rogue Squadron is currently in development and is intended for release in cinemas at Christmastime 2023.

This returns the sci-fi franchise to the festive season, when previous entries The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker found huge box office success.

What is Star Wars: Rogue Squadron about?

Given that the film is a full three years away from release, it should come as little surprise that there isn’t a huge amount of information about the story just yet.

According to the official synopsis from Lucasfilm: “The story will introduce a new generation of starfighter pilots as they earn their wings and risk their lives in a boundary-pushing, high-speed thrill-ride, and move the saga into the future era of the galaxy.”

One of the crucial things that this summary keeps secret is the time period in which this entry of the Star Wars saga will be set.

However, the inclusion of an X-Wing starfighter in the announcement video featuring director Patty Jenkins suggests this chapter will unfold against the backdrop of either the original trilogy or the recent Disney-produced sequel trilogy.

What is the Rogue Squadron?

Rogue Squadron is a term that has been associated with Star Wars for some time, first rising to prominence in 1996 as the title of the first entry in the X-Wing series of novels, written by Michael A Stackpole.

Set after the initial defeat of the Empire in Return of the Jedi, the story picks up with rebel pilot Wedge Antilles forming a squad of the most skilled and daring pilots in the galaxy to complete dangerous missions.

The story of Rogue Squadron was continued across various novels and comic books, as well as spawning a popular series of video games for the Nintendo 64, Gamecube and PC.

However, it should be noted that these stories will have been made no longer canon following Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm, so it’s quite likely that the upcoming movie will tell an all-new story.

Who is in the cast of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron?

No casting announcements have been made for Star Wars: Rogue Squadron just yet and, with its release date still quite far out, we may not hear news for some time.

That said, we do know who will be taking charge behind-the-camera, as Patty Jenkins will direct the upcoming blockbuster, following her acclaimed work on 2017’s Wonder Woman and its recent sequel.

The project has a personal connection to Jenkins, who has always wanted to make a film about fighter pilots in honour of her father, who passed away while serving in the US Air Force.

Jenkins said in a statement: “It’s been a lifelong dream as a filmmaker to one day make a great fighter pilot film. As the daughter of a great fighter pilot myself, some of the best memories of my life are of seeing my father’s squadron take off in their F4s every morning, and hearing and feeling the awe-inspiring power and grace.

“When he passed away in service to this country, it ignited a burning desire to one day channel all of those emotions into one great film. When the perfect story arrived in combination with another true love of mine, the incomparable world of Star Wars, I knew I’d finally found my next film.

“I’m extremely honoured and excited to take it on, and grateful to Lucasfilm, Disney, and the fans for extending that thrill to me.”

Is there a Star Wars: Rogue Squadron trailer?

Not just yet and don’t expect to see one until closer to the film’s release date in late 2023. However, director Patty Jenkins has released the following video outlining her passion for the project (which also features a charming cameo from an X-Wing starfighter).