It’s safe to assume that Star Wars: Rogue One will not have the secrecy involved with its filming, much like it’s predecessor Star Wars: The Force Awakens has had. Director Gareth Edwards isn’t as tightlipped as J.J. Abrams, and in that regard, we’ve already seen a full cast photo of the Rebels involved in the heist of the first Death Star’s plans. Another neat tidbit we were gifted with, so early in filming, is the report that Grand Moff Tarkin himself, Peter Cushing, would be digitally remastered for Rogue One…these are all pieces of information that we had to wait forever to get with The Force Awakens.
Today, we were gifted with a new piece of Rogue One information, as actor Donnie Yen, seen in the Rogue One cast photo (sitting on a crate, a staff in hand, his eyes appearing as if he may be blind), has posted a photo to his Instagram account of three different stormtrooper helmets, including at least one that we haven’t yet seen.
As you can see, the black helmet may be a TIE Fighter helmet, although I can’t remember seeing that particular model, and the helmet on the far left, appears to be a ground-trooper’s helmet, very reminiscent of the Empire’s troops on Endor.
Here’s a better look, uploaded to Imgur:
Yen does drop a bit of a puzzle in his Instagram photo, however, with this phrase: “I am the force and I fear nothing.” Both Director Gareth Edwards and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy have both mentioned that Rogue One would not center around the Jedi, as every other Star Wars movie has, but that it would be more about the actual rebels who risked their lives alongside the Force sensitive heroes.
Donnie Yen’s character in the first official Rogue One cast photo does seem to possess something more than just being a grunt with the rest of the rogues. Could Yen be portraying a Jedi? Someone who escaped Order 66, and has been secretly helping the Rebel Alliance? Also, is he in fact blind in the film? The last blind Jedi that we encountered was Master Rahm Kota, who was from the exact same time period of Rogue One. Master Kota led a group of rebels to thwart the Empire using guerilla warfare. Perhaps Donnie Yen’s character is an ode to Master Kota (especially since Kota is considered Star Wars Legends and not canon).
Either way, this is some exciting speculation and news about Rogue One, which is slated to hit theaters on December 16, 2016.