As Obi-Wan Kenobi told us almost forty years ago, the galaxy is bound together. Lucasfilm and Disney took a huge leap forward in bridging the gap between the small screen and the silver screen today by revealing the name of Forest Whitaker’s character in the upcoming film Rogue One.
The Academy Award and BAFTA winning actor will be playing none other than Saw Gerrera, a freedom fighter who appeared in a multi-episode story arc during the fifth season of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series that began with the episode entitled A War on Two Fronts. In The Clone Wars Gerrera was a reckless freedom fighter, eager to break his planet from iron fist of Separatist occupation. With the aid of Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with the direct assistance of Ahsoka Tano, Gerrara succeeded in his mission and began to reconcile the desire to help his people with his own desire for accolades and glory.
Whitaker lends gravitas and impact to every role he plays, so it’ll be interesting to see how he continues the evolution of this Clone Wars veteran almost 20 years after the defeat of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Given Whitaker’s body of work and profound acting abilities, it will certainly be a welcome addition to the Star Wars canon.
It’s a genuine pleasure (and surprise) to see Lucasfilm moving beyond allusion and after-the-fact film character cameo as they create a truly integrated galaxy. Here’s to hoping this is the first of many such connections. Perhaps the future of Star Wars films includes the likes of Ahsoka Tano, Kanan Jarrus, or Hera Syndulla on the big screen? Always in motion is the future, but fans will undoubtedly continue to speculate and hope to see their favorite heroes on the big screen.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is in theaters December 2016.
Don’t forget to SHARE this article!
FOLLOW us on Facebook
FOLLOW us on Twitter
SUBSCRIBE to us on Youtube
FOLLOW us on Instagram
