Sam Claflin 'being considered for lead role in the Star Wars spin-off Rogue One' which is set in an era where there are no Jedi

Sam Claflin is being considered for a starring role in the highly anticipated film Star Wars: Rogue One.

According to The Wrap, the 28-year-old actor may take on a big role in the spin-off which is reportedly set 'in an era where there are no Jedi.'

Also up for a part is 32-year-old Riz Ahmed, who is best known for Nightcrawler.

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Will the force be with him?: Sam Claflin is being considered for a starring role in the highly anticipated film Star Wars: Rogue One; here he is pictured in January

Will the force be with him?: Sam Claflin is being considered for a starring role in the highly anticipated film Star Wars: Rogue One; here he is pictured in January

Will he be playing a character in a galaxy far, far away?: Also up for a part is 32-year-old Riz Ahmed, pictured in October

Will he be playing a character in a galaxy far, far away?: Also up for a part is 32-year-old Riz Ahmed, pictured in October

Felicity Jones has the starring role of a rebel soldier in the Gareth Edwards-directed movie, which will take place before Episode IV.

On Sunday Edwards took to the stage to reveal a few details about Rogue One, the first of the standalone Star Wars films, at the Stars Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California.

And to the surprise of many fans, it will be 'set in an era where there are no Jedi'. 

She is already cast: Felicity Jones has the starring role of a rebel soldier in the Gareth Edwards-directed movie, which will take place before Episode IV

She is already cast: Felicity Jones has the starring role of a rebel soldier in the Gareth Edwards-directed movie, which will take place before Episode IV

Edwards explained of the film that runs parallel to the main saga's storyline: 'It's set in an era where there are no Jedi, or they're but extinct.'

He added: 'It's about the fact that God's not coming to save us. We're on our own - and we have to do this ourselves and turn around. 

No Jedi: There will be absolutely no Jedi Knights (such as Obi Wan Kenobi played by Ewan McGregor with his one-time apprentice Anakin Skywalker [Hayden Christensen] ) in the first Star Wars spin-off Rogue One

No Jedi: There will be absolutely no Jedi Knights (such as Obi Wan Kenobi played by Ewan McGregor with his one-time apprentice Anakin Skywalker [Hayden Christensen] ) in the first Star Wars spin-off Rogue One

First look: Director Gareth Edwards revealed a glimpse of the movie at the Star Wars Celebration convention in Anaheim, California, on Sunday

First look: Director Gareth Edwards revealed a glimpse of the movie at the Star Wars Celebration convention in Anaheim, California, on Sunday

'The absence of the Jedi is omnipresent - it hangs over the whole movie - and it comes down to a group of individuals that don't have magical powers but have to somehow bring hope to the galaxy.'

Jones, who recently garnered an Oscar nomination for her role in The Theory of Everything, is the only confirmed cast member for the film, which will shoot in London this summer for a December 2016 release.

Edwards said that her character will not just be a stoic soldier, but a complex, fully rounded human. 

'We wanted to see fear, warmth, all of those aspects that everybody has,' he said, excited that Jones embodies 'the complete package.'

The iconic franchise's Twitter account posted a capsule of the storyline, saying: 'A band of resistance fighters unite for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans in Star Wars anthology film, Rogue One #RogueOne.' 

Joing the Star Wars characters: Gareth, pictured at the Godzilla premiere in Beijing last June, will start work on Rogue One this summer for a December 2016 release

Joing the Star Wars characters: Gareth, pictured at the Godzilla premiere in Beijing last June, will start work on Rogue One this summer for a December 2016 release

Special: Fans at a Star Wars convention in California were treated to one last surprise before the event closed 

Special: Fans at a Star Wars convention in California were treated to one last surprise before the event closed 

Sneak peek: A preview from a Star Wars anthology film, Rogue One was screene

Sneak peek: A preview from a Star Wars anthology film, Rogue One was screene

Expanding the universe far, far, away: In Rogue One 'a band of resistance fighters unite for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans'

Expanding the universe far, far, away: In Rogue One 'a band of resistance fighters unite for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans'

18 months away: The film has not yet begun shooting so it's not clear if these scenes will be in the final movie

18 months away: The film has not yet begun shooting so it's not clear if these scenes will be in the final movie

One attendee managed to capture the preview of Rogue One on their cellphone before uploading it YouTube

One attendee managed to capture the preview of Rogue One on their cellphone before uploading it YouTube

FEELING THE FORCE: DISNEY'S       $4 BILLION CASH COW

Following the release of the trailer to Star Wars VII, Disney's share price rocketed with more than $US2 billion added to the company's value.

Star Wars has attracted generations of loyal fans ever since the first film arrived nearly 40 years ago, creating a signature moment in the history of popular culture and launching one of the biggest movie franchises ever.

After a second trilogy of prequel films wrapped in 2005, the movie franchise had lain dormant until Disney shelled out $US4 billion To buy creator Lucas’s Lucasfilm in October 2012.

Disney soon announced plans for three new films in the series, with acclaimed Hollywood director J.J. Abrams being entrusted with the reboot. 

The Force isn’t just returning to the big screen, it's also reappearing in video games too.

Star Wars Battlefront which was first teased at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2013, marks the first title in a 10-year deal between the Walt Disney Co. and Electronic Arts Inc. to create new games.

'For more than 1,000 generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire,' the voiceover reads, as the camera tracks to show a ghostly Death Star hovering in the clouds.

Set between the third and the fourth movies in the 'Star Wars' saga, the film will follow a band of resistance fighters who unite to steal the Death Star plans and 'bring a new hope,' referring to the subtitle of the original 'Star Wars.'

Gareth Edwards who directed Godzilla debuted a tantalizing concept reel to preview the mysterious film, which is part of a series of films exploring other stories outside of the core 'Star Wars' saga.

Gareth is due to start work on the spin-off, starring Felicity Jones as a Rebel fighter, this summer for a December 2016 release.

Aside from the storyline, he also unveiled art and a brief sizzle reel for an audience of excited fans at the fourth and final day of the event at the Anaheim Convention Centre..

Gareth was joined onstage by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and head of development Kiri Hart who explained: 'We really wanted freedom to do some films that could stand on their own, and tell new stories.' 

She added that they are describing them as 'anthology films' that expand the Star Wars universe without necessarily using the main characters. 

More to come: The Star Wars website released this Twitter describing the storyline for the film, which is described as an anthology movie adding to the Star Wars universe

More to come: The Star Wars website released this Twitter describing the storyline for the film, which is described as an anthology movie adding to the Star Wars universe

According to Gareth, Rogue One is set after Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith and before the original Star Wars, which became Episode IV when George Lucas created the three prequels. 

Gareth said Rogue One won't have clear-cut villains and heroes, according to the Hollywood Reporter. 

And the crowd laughed when he joked about the content, saying: 'It's called Star WARS,' putting heavy emphasis on the last word.

'It’s about the fact that god’s not coming to save us, and we’re on our own. The absence of the Jedi is omnipresent in the film. It hangs over the whole movie,' he added. 

In the world of 'Rogue One,' Edwards said the 'absence of Jedi is omnipresent.' 

The characters in the film realize that the 'gods are not coming to save us,' he said. 'It comes down to a group of people who don't have magical powers who band together to bring hope to the galaxy.' 

On set: Abrams talking to his team as they look at the R2D2 unit

On set: Abrams talking to his team as they look at the R2D2 unit

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy appears on the Cantina set at Star Wars Celebration: The Ultimate Fan Experience held in Anaheim last week

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy appears on the Cantina set at Star Wars Celebration: The Ultimate Fan Experience held in Anaheim last week

Cinderella scribe Chis Weitz wrote the screenplay based on an idea from visual effects supervisor John Knoll.

Josh Trank, who is set to direct the next, still untitled 'Star Wars' anthology film, did not attend the event although he was originally scheduled to appear.

The idea for the film came from award-winning visual effects artist John Knoll, who pitched the idea internally before bringing it to Kathleen Kennedy and Lucasfilm's Kiri Hart. 

Hart, vice president of development for Lucasfilm, said that the anthology films will vary in 'scale and genre.'

She added that they are describing them as 'anthology films' that expand the Star Wars universe without necessarily using the main characters. 

'We wanted freedom to do some films that would be able to stand on their own and tell unique stories,' she said.

'They can still feel like `Star Wars' and be `Star Wars.'

Meanwhile, it was revealed that the trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, which debuted at the event on Thursday, was viewed 88 million times worldwide in the first 24 hours.

Directed by JJ Abrams, the movie opens in the US on December 18.

 

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