One of my personal favorite reveals from D23 this past weekend without any new Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens footage was the first official Rogue One: A Star Wars Story cast photo. This wasn’t the cast smiling and joking in a staged photo shoot somewhere off-set fabrication. What we got was taken on an intricate set laced with nostalgia featuring a collection of heroes the likes of which we haven’t seen since Han Solo was introduced in the Mos Eisley cantina.
Disney and Lucasfilm knew this image was gold when they released it so they put out a super high-resolution version suitable for print publication. The resolution allows us to zoom in and take a look at some of the finer details the image offers, whether intentionally or not.
Below are my observations after staring at the Star Wars: Rogue One cast photo for far too long. I can’t help it; the image rocks all kinds of awesome.
A black backpack positioned in the lower-right portion of the image is a clear homage to the backpacks worn by Rebel Soldiers during the Battle of Hoth in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. The details are different as you can see, but the general shape, buttoned top and various greebles are in similar locations.
Donnie Yen’s Star Wars: Rogue One character is the most intriguing of the bunch. First, the blue eyes insinuate that he’s blind. Second, he’s carrying an organic fighting staff with technological appendages to it. I can only imagine how many cool things that staff is able to do and am confident we’ll get to see them all on-screen.
Yen’s coolness continues with what appears to be a Boba Fett-esque gauntlet on his left wrist. Fett’s gauntlet had multiple uses including shooting a wire and as a flamethrower. There’s either a scope or firing mechanism attached to Yen’s gauntlet, ready to be put to use.
Jiang Wen and Yen’s characters each have heavy weaponry strapped to their backs. These guys both look like they’ve seen their fair share of action and aren’t done yet. In the case of Wen’s long-haired character, his getup’s cobbled together pieces of armor is what you’d expect to see from a hired gun or a bounty hunter.
This guy on break is one of three wearing cold weather gear. Is that jacket brown or blue? Original Trilogy Hoth mysterious aside, I highly doubt the Rebels were stationed on Hoth prior to setting up shop on the Yavin Moon. We already know as Princess Leia lied to Grand Moff Tarkin, “Dantooine… they’re on Dantooine,” where remnants of a Rebel base where found. It’s entirely possible that we’ll get to see Dantooine in this film and that it will be cold. If not, I sure hope we get to see it in Star Wars Rebels on Disney XD.
Felicity Jones is wearing gloves with a clear circle on their top side. That circle was seen on Boba Fett’s gloves in various concepts. In fact, the circle glove became a running change on the Hasbro/Kenner POTF2 action figure that was released in both full and half-circle designs.
The guy sitting down with the goggles on his head reminds me of Breaker from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero as he fiddles around with some electronics. A closer look reveals an Imperial insignia on his shirt sleeve. This guy either stole the shirt or defected from Vader and the Emperor’s regime. I tend to lean toward the former as this bunch looks like the types that take what they want, when they want.
The Massassi Temple where the Rebels launched their successful assault against the Death Star in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope has distinctive block walls with ivy growing on them. Those same walls are present in this picture all but confirming that the Massassi Temple plays a role in stealing the Death Star plans, even if it’s only where the team assembles or the plan is hatched.
If you’ve read this far then your reward is the full resolution Star Wars: Rogue One cast image one image. See if you can pick out any more details with connections to the Original Trilogy.
Star Wars: Rogue One Cast Photo high resolution — click to enlarge
