Exclusive: Star Wars: Rogue One details on theme, locations, aliens, & more

SPOILERS? Not really, but there, I said it for the super sensitive.

The announcement of the first Star Wars Anthology film, STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE, has left many speculating on what's in store for the first spinoff film from a galaxy far, far away. At this year's Star Wars: Celebration, the film's director, Gareth Edwards, shared some revealing tidbits, including the official synopsis, which goes like this: "A rogue band of resistance fighters unite for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans in Star Wars anthology film, ROGUE ONE."

Edwards was guarded with most of his comments, but two words that seemed to pop up continually were "real" and "war" with an emphasis on portraying the protagonists as something very different from the Jedi-led episodes. Thus far, the cast is comprised of Felicity Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Diego Luna, Sam Clafin, and Riz Ahmed, with composer Alexandre Desplat set to score the film.

So, that's the gist of what we know about STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE at this point, which isn't set to start shooting until sometime this summer. But, we have some small, interesting tidbits to add today, which won't spoil anything plot related, but rather give you a picture into what kind of film we can expect thematically and what types of characters we will (and won't) see in this first spinoff. Rather than ramble it all off, here's some key bullet points to make it easier to digest. Some is just confirmation, some new info, some just interesting factoids, but all of it sure makes me excited to find out more.

• Definitely set during the "Dark Time" of the Empire (between Episodes III and IV)
• Being coined as "darker and grittier" than any other Star Wars film to date
• The film seems to be aiming to be much like an old school war film; Think Hamburger Hill meets Star Wars
• All the Jedi are said to be in hiding; expect this story to leave them in the background
• Stormtroopers have same armor as they do in the original films (i.e. episodes IV – VI)
• Lots of alien life forms, Mon Calamari among them
• New droids and aliens will be introduced. Kind of a no-brainer, but just so you know it's not just a bunch of rebels
• At-Ats, X-Wings, Y-wings, At-Sts are said to be present.
• Implied that some of the film will take place on Yavin-4; a lot of armies in the jungle and various battlefield locations
• Looks like a new droid will be part of the band of rebels attempting to steal the Death Star plans
• Felicity Jones is seen dressed as a rebel soldier ready for battle; expect her to get her hands dirty in this one

And, that's it! Just a little extra fat to chew on and mull over as the film gets shooting underway this summer. Ultimately, it sounds like they're aiming to stray away from the same ol' Jedi vs. Sith/Good vs. Evil trope and deliver a very different Star Wars film, but one that's still set within the universe we know and love. I think it's a smart way to go and it allows the universe to truly expand beyond the eternal struggle of "The Force". For those looking for something new out of the Star Wars universe without venturing too far away from what we love, this "dark and gritty" war film sounds like a welcome departure from Senatorial debates, light saber battles, and force choking.

STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE is scheduled to hit theaters on December 16, 2016.