Showing posts with label RIZ AHMED. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RIZ AHMED. Show all posts

Tuesday, 5 November 2019

ROGUE ONE: THE UNLIKELY DEFECTOR!


Won over by Galen Erso to defect from the Empire and join the Rebel cause, Bodhi Rook travels back to Jedha, risking his neck to find Saw Gerrera's gorilla forces hiding in the desert, in an introductory scene for the character filmed as part of re-shoots for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Note the photo blow-up background of some of the Jordan location on the Pinewood set, disguised from view by clever use of lighting and hand-held camera work.

Thursday, 15 February 2018

ROGUE ONE: FIGHTING DIRTY!


Right from the film's earliest promotion online and at one of the Star Wars Celebration events back in 2015, it was clear that Rogue One - A Star Wars Story was going to be a tough and gritty action-adventure lead-in to the original 1977 movie that started it all. And, from this early cast publicity shoot (by LUCASFILM UK's in-house Chief Photographer, Brit talent Jonathan Olley) taken at the filming location of Cardington Hangar, London, our main heroes (led by Felicity Jones ultimately noble Jyn Erso), minus the being kept under wraps K-2SO, were also going to look a lot grubbier from their resultant conflicts!









This image from the shoot would be held back until the film's release.

Intriguingly, no solo image of the character of Bodhi Rook, as played by the inimitable Riz Ahmed, seems to have been released from that early posed location shoot taken by Olley. Interestingly, the character of Bodhi Rook had a different name, character personality, background (including a family) and motivations leading up to the start of filming on Gareth Edward's vision of Rogue One. Things later changed considerably - the character becoming the newly christened 'Bodhi Rook' during the film's reshoots phase, of which Ahmed's role was further expanded and integrated within the plot (most notably linked to Jedha). The closest we can find image-wise to that original look for Ahmed's early character interpretation are these shots below (photographer/s unknown).



Saturday, 23 September 2017

ROGUE ONE: BODHI THE FIGHTER...


We know him more as the shuttle pilot or the vital cable guy who helped the Rebels transmit the Death Star plans from Scarif, so its interesting to see this image of Riz Ahmed as Bodhi Rook holding a Rebel blaster- it looks more like a film scene image than a posed promotional image, perhaps from one of the original sequences for Rogue One featuring his beach squad involvement at the Imperial base, before all the re-shoots..

Friday, 24 March 2017

ROGUE ONE: ROGUE'S GALLERY!


Relive the action, drama, and tragedy of ROGUE ONE, out now (24th March, 2017) on US digital download, before its territory Blu-ray release on April 4th.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on iTunes

ROGUE ONE Blu-Ray Trailer (2017) - YouTube

Latest news:

Star Wars Director Reveals the Secrets Behind Rogue One's Final Vader Scene - YouTube

'Rogue One' director on CGI actor controversy - YouTube

Rogue One - Darth Vader | official featurette (2017) - YouTube

'Star Wars' Artists Created 'Rogue One' Before There Was a Script | Inverse

See how a 'Star Wars' droid came to life in exclusive 'Rogue One' videos

https://www.inverse.com/article/29435-rogue-one-star-wars-death-troopers-ralph-mcquarrie-doug-chiang

Rogue One almost had a bonus Vader scene

http://ew.com/movies/2017/03/20/rogue-one-alternate-ending-revealed/

John Knoll Describes More 'Rogue One' Alternate Endings | The Star Wars Underworld

Rogue One: Jyn Erso's mother was a slain Jedi in early version

Rogue One's Bodhi Rook was once a madman engineer named Bokan

Rogue One director explains why the original ending didn't work and says Darth Vader's big scene was a late addition | GamesRadar+

Star Wars: Rogue One Producer Has Another Spinoff Idea

Thursday, 12 January 2017

ROGUE ONE: "THE PILOT' FIGHTS BACK!


As the Battle of Scarif enters its worst and most brutal point, former Imperial cargo shuttle pilot Bodhi Rook must bring all his courage to bear to help his new friends send a signal to the Rebel fleet above the planet's energy shield, in a memorable moment for the character during ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY.

Tuesday, 13 December 2016

ROGUE ONE: THE AFICIONADO VERDICT

It is a period of civil war! The heroes of ROGUE ONE in this lovely IMAX character art poster.

BEWARE: MILD SPOILERS!

With thanks to DISNEY UK, STAR WARS AFICIONADO attended tonight's London press screening of ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY. To say that the film is the ultimate tribute to the original 1977 adventure created by George Lucas would be a massive understatement, so much so that Gareth Edwards blockbuster literally leads into those events above Tatooine that we were first astonished by all those years ago. ROGUE ONE is thick with further tributes, surprises, in-jokes, discarded material from the Lucasfilm Archives brought to life, and cameos that will have fans delighted and thoroughly screaming to the rooftops with joy. Praise to the behind the scenes team for doing a very good job of bridging the prequel and classic sagas together in that respect. But as for the story and characters, well... with a critical cap on, things feels a little underdeveloped in places (possibly due to too many cooks, as that old saying goes) and there are times when I felt that the full potential of the characters weren't as fully tapped as they should have been. Nonetheless, all of the cast of ROGUE ONE are uniformly excellent and bring their dedication to the screen. Felicity Jones' Jyn Erso is a totally different character to Rey but no less brave, gusty, heroic and inspiring. Special kudos to Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen as Jedha's odd couple heroes Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus, and Ben Mendehlson, who should have been the sole villain through the entire film, as the ambitious Krennic.

Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso lead the mission to retrieve the Death Star plans.

The evil Krennic (Ben Mendelshon) has great ambitions.

Working inside a production designed universe far better than the one devised for THE FORCE AWAKENS, Gareth Edwards direction is singular, strong, and a worthy counterforce in stye and storytelling to J.J. Abrams upbeat and driving emotion of EPISODE VII, giving us a genuinely interesting and grittier, more shades of grey adventure set in the timeframe of the saga whose realms are devoid of freedom- aided by some first rate hand-held cinematography. In fact, all of the original plot material on the periphery of, or building up to, the Death Star plans was where I enjoyed the film the most - the opening scenes in Iceland and the sequences on the Force religion world of Jedha proving particularly interesting and ripe for further exploration. It's with the Battle of Scarif, however, in the film's last act, where its clear that some major, and I do mean major, reworking was done (James Bond film editor Stuart Baird's involvement and visual style is noticeable)- with sequences from the ground battle previously seen in the trailers and behind the scenes footage clearly removed and much-missed in favour of a mostly all-new action sequence- I think it unlikely that Edwards original rough cut of ROGUE ONE will ever see the light of day now that its locked up in the Lucasfilm vaults- a shame, really, as it would have been interesting to compare that version to what is ultimately being seen on screen now. We can only assume that it was perhaps just too gritty for Disney's tastes.

The Battle of Scarif begins...

Finally, effects-wise, John Knoll and his ILM team are to be congratulated for the incredible work they've pulled off here, not just with the hyperkinetic space battle (everything but the kitchen sink is in there) and action work, but also with their mind boggling attention to detail in bringing back to life a certain popular Grand Moff with such astonishing CGI results that go far beyond anything first attempted with EPISODE I's gangly Gungans back in 1995-1999. And as for that little old Sith Lord Darth Vader? His scenes, judiciously placed, prove well worth the wait and the ticket price alone...

AFICIONADO RATING: An intriguing first experiment/launcher of the standalone series, ROGUE ONE, with its different tone shadings of war and subtle loss, though also packed with eye-candy nostalgia, will surely be a quick-fire, worldwide box office hit, becoming even more appreciated and beloved by fans over time, as its part within the modern STAR WARS life cycle is cemented. 4 out of 5.

With thanks to DISNEY UK.

In London, the ROGUE ONE cast with Edwards and Kennedy at last night's UK wide fan premiere screenings. Image: Stuart C.Wilson/Getty Images for DISNEY UK.

Other UK/US reviews:

Felicity Jones dazzles in elegant grey gown at Rogue One A Star Wars Story screening | Daily Mail Online
Rogue One A Star Wars Story REVIEWED | ShortList Magazine
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Review | Movie - Empire
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story review: The evil Empire is back with a vengeance
‘Rogue One’ Review: At Last, a ‘Star Wars’ Movie for Grown-ups | Variety
LA Times - 'Rogue One' adds an uneven but thrilling wrinkle to the mythology of 'Star Wars'
Editors React: Is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story a worthy addition to the franchise? | Blastr

The cast launch the film for UK fans. Image: DISNEY UK.

Other footage:

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Production Designers Neil Lamont & Doug Chiang Interview - YouTube

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 51 - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 50 - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 49 - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 48 - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 47 - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 46 - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 45 - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 44 - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 43 - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 42 - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Spot 41 - YouTube

Rogue One Cast Explains Star Wars Characters | Vanity Fair - YouTube
Rogue One Stars Answer the Web's Most Searched Questions | WIRED - YouTube
Producer Kathleen Kennedy UK Premiere Interview - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - YouTube
Donnie Yen UK Premiere Interview - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - YouTube
Ben Mendelsohn UK Premiere Interview - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - YouTube
Felicity Jones UK Premiere Interview - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - YouTube
Rogue One Full Cast Interview - YouTube
Diego Luna UK Premiere Interview - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - YouTube
Felicity Jones press conference Mexico City Star Wars Rogue One - YouTube

Sunday, 11 December 2016

ROGUE ONE: LATEST NEWS & FOOTAGE (DECEMBER - PART 5)

The ROGUE ONE cast in Los Angeles for premiere night. Image REUTERS.

Yesterday's coverage of the ROGUE ONE American premiere:

Starts at around the 56 minute mark: Live From The Rogue One Red Carpet - YouTube

Highlights From Rogue One A Star Wars Story Red Carpet World Premiere - YouTube
'Rogue One' Premiere Excites Star Wars Fans Ahead of Wide Release - YouTube
'Star Wars' enters 'grittier' new chapter with 'Rogue One' premiere | Reuters
Behold the X-wing fighter parked at Hollywood's 'Rogue One' premiere
‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ Thrills Audience at World Premiere | Variety
Excitement builds as first impressions of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story are VERY positive | Daily Mail Online
The Cast and Crew of "Rogue One - A Star Wars Story" - Rogue One Premiere - See the Photos from the New Star Wars film - EW.com
'Rogue One' Premiere Night Highlights - YouTube

Donnie Yen for a LUCASFILM press interview.

LUCASFILM press materials

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy Interview - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Felicity Jones "Jyn" Behind the Scenes Movie interview - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Riz Ahmed "Bodhi" Behind the Scenes Movie interview - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Diego Luna "Cassian" Behind the Scenes Movie interview - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Director Gareth Edwards Behind the Scenes Movie interview - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Creature Effects Supervisor Neal Scanlan Movie Interview - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Alan Tudyk "K-2SO" Behind the scenes Movie interview - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Ben Mendelsohn "Krennic" Behind the Scenes Movie interview - YouTube
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Forest Whitaker "Saw Gererra" Behind the Scenes Movie interview - YouTube
Rogue One "Galen Erso" On Set Interview - Mads Mikkelsen - YouTube

Cast promo artwork.

Other interview material/featurettes:

Rogue One - 5 Days Trailer ( NEW FOOTAGE ) - YouTube

K-2SO Featurette NEW FOOTAGE - Rogue One A Star Wars Story Red Carpet World Premiere - YouTube

Paradise Featurette New Footage - Rogue One A Star Wars Story Red Carpet World Premiere - YouTube

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Tokio Event | ROUGH CUT (2016) - YouTube

ROGUE ONE Japan Premiere - Felicity Jones, Diego Luna & Gareth Edwards - YouTube

'Rogue One' - Meet the droids and creatures - Star Wars - Meet the Creatures and Droids in Rogue One - EW.com

Rajeev Masand interview with Rogue One director Gareth Edwards - YouTube

Tuesday, 29 November 2016

ROGUE ONE: INTRODUCING BODHI ROOK!


Surely the character whom audiences will relate to the most during the blistering and explosive warfare ahead in ROGUE ONE, Bodhi Rook is the uneasy former Imperial pilot tasked with getting our heroes in and out of certain difficult planetary hotspots, and a key resource in locating the hidden resistance fighter Saw Gerrera on the frozen desert world of Jedha.

On Jedha, Bodhi negotiates to meet the elusive Saw Gerrera.
Bodhi's costume, as seen at CELEBRATION 2016.

Popular British actor Riz Ahmed apparently had additional character moments given to him with the film's extra shooting this year, of which we have no doubt that Bodhi will play a pivotal part in the ground battle of Scarif- at a time when things seem bleak he will surely, ultimately prove one of the Rebel Alliance's most courageous fighters, his actions reminding audiences that there heroism can be found deep inside all of us in the worst of times...

Caught in the firing line, but soon making a difference.

Online articles:

Riz Ahmed: Star Wars Rogue One is about waking up to political reality | London Evening Standard
Riz Ahmed: ‘Star Wars’ ‘Leading the Way’ for Film Diversity
Riz Ahmed: 'Rogue One' Will Be an 'Edgier' 'Star Wars' Film
Rogue One: Riz Ahmed on why Bodhi Rook wears Empire insignia | EW.com


Saturday, 5 November 2016

ROGUE ONE: THE THREAT REVEALED!


The grim discovery of the Death Star battle station and its immeasurable power is revealed to the gathered Rebel Alliance forces on Yavin, of which Jyn Erso is now fully aware of her father's ominous contribution to it, in this scene from ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY.

ABC To Air Exclusive 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Preview on November 24th | The Star Wars Underworld

Monday, 17 October 2016

ROGUE ONE: MORE TOPPS IMAGERY


More great ROGUE ONE character images being released slowly but surely by TOPPS digital cards. Some of these shots are clearly clever references to the now classic and important war imagery taken during World War II, both in Europe and in the South Seas.















Friday, 26 August 2016

ROGUE ONE: THE WAR ACCORDING TO BODHI!


Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, or whatever kind of term is appropriate within the STAR WARS vernacular, top space vehicle pilot and key technician Bodhi Rook treads a fine line between his duties to the Rebel Alliance, now vitally needing his skills, and a working career linked to the Empire. Is he the kind of simple man trying to make his way in the universe that Jango Fett was? Or will his genuine support for the Rebels shine through on the tropical world of Scarif? We'll find out in ROGUE ONE this December.

Bodhi is played by Riz Ahmed, a fine young UK actor emerged from the world of TV (recent acclaim has included THE NIGHT OF mini-series for HBO) and now mixing strong indie film work (check out the recent NIGHTCRAWLER, with Jake Gyllenhaal) alongside blockbusters like JASON BOURNE and ROGUE ONE.

Rogue One Is a Different Kind of Star Wars Movie Says Riz Ahmed
Riz Ahmed Had Fire Zings for the Rogue One Panel -- Vulture
Riz Ahmed Reacts To Seeing His First 'Rogue One' Action Figure | The Star Wars Underworld

Out now, EMPIRE magazine begins its ROGUE ONE coverage.