With Felicity Jones official and Ben Mendelsohn all but confirmed, Gareth Edward's ROGUE ONE looks to be adding two more cast-members in Sam Claflin and Riz Ahmed. Multiple sources are citing the two actors as being contenders for starring roles in the film with Variety reporting that Ahmed is being looked at as the lead opposite Felicity Jones based on their chemistry during screen tests.
Set after REVENGE OF THE SITH but before A NEW HOPE, ROGUE ONE will follow a band of rebels as they try to steal the plans for the Death Star. It is unclear who will be playing which roles, but Ben Mendelsohn is being cited as the villain in the film. Claflin, I would assume would be playing a rebel as would Ahmed. Claflin has yet to break out as a star but has been cited as a potential actor when THE FORCE AWAKENS was still casting. He has appeared in THE HUNGER GAMES and SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN. Ahmed is best known for starring opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in NIGHTCRAWLER as well as the comedy FOUR LIONS.
Gareth Edwards' film is drawing comparisons to THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and THE DIRTY DOZEN will some claiming not everyone will survive the film. If this is truly going to be a gritty and darker type of STAR WARS movie, we are all in for a special treat.
ROGUE ONE is set to begin production this year for a December 16, 2016 release.