Forest Whitaker Joins the Cast of ‘Star Wars: Rogue One’

Whereas the Star Wars: The Force Awakens cast was revealed with one big announcement, the actors joining director Gareth Edwards’ Star Wars: Rogue One have been very slowly making their way public. So far we know that Felicity Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Diego Luna, Sam Claflin, and Riz Ahmed are set to star in the film, and today comes word that Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker has joined the Star Wars spinoff in an “unspecified” role.

Variety reports that Whitaker will join Rogue One and afterward will also star in the remake of The Crow. Jones, Ahmed and Luna are all members of a “rogue band of resistance fighters who unite for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans and bring new hope to the galaxy.” The film, which Edwards says is influenced by Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down, will reportedly take place in between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Mendelsohn is reportedly playing the film’s lead villain.

Star Wars: Rogue One is expected to have a heavy presence of droids and alien forms both old and new. It’s possible that any of these actors (minus Felicity Jones) could be playing a non-human role. What we do know is that none of these characters will be Jedi. Edwards said at Star Wars Celebration that the fate of the galaxy is “up to a group of new heroes who don’t have magical powers”.

Star Wars: Rogue One opens in theaters on December 16, 2016.