Star Wars Trailer Shows Felicity Jones In New Film's Lead Role As Rebel

Star Wars Trailer Shows Felicity Jones In New Film's Lead Role As Rebel
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The trailer for the new Star Wars anthology film Rogue One shows Felicity Jones taking the lead as a young rebel.

The Theory Of Everything actress's character, Jyn Erso, is asked to join a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star, the planet-destroying weapon of the evil Empire.

In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, she is detained by rebellion leaders who sum her up: "On your own from the age of 15, reckless, aggressive, and undisciplined."

She tells them: "This is a rebellion, isn't it? I rebel."

Jones's character is then told about an imminent "major weapons test", and asked to join the effort to find out what it is and how to destroy it.

The movie, directed by Gareth Edwards, takes place between Episode III and Episode IV, and is the first of three planned stand-alone spin-off films.

It fills the gap between 2005 prequel movie Star Wars Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith and 1977's Star Wars A New Hope.

Auditions are reportedly taking place for another of the anthology films, which tells the story of a young Han Solo.

Rogue One also stars Mads Mikkelsen, Forest Whitaker and Riz Ahmed, and is set for release in December.

The trailer features classic Star Wars creations including AT-ATs and Stormtroopers, as well as the Death Star and the Imperial Star Destroyer.

It also sees the surprise return of rebel leader Mon Mothma, who appeared in Return of the Jedi and prequel Revenge of the Sith.

Rogue One, led by Godzilla and Monsters director Edwards, was written by Gary Whitta and Chris Weitz, from an idea by long-time Star Wars visual effects supervisor John Knoll.

The film provides a back-story to the first scenes of Star Wars A New Hope, when Princess Leia is seen concealing the plans for the Death Star in the droid R2-D2 before she is captured by the Galactic Empire.