Star Wars Rogue Squadron, the upcoming film with Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins at the helm, has confirmed its writer in Matthew Robinson. Most of the plot of the “original” film has been kept under wraps for the most part, but through this new revelation along with what we know of the film’s director, we can potentially discern if it is worth investing in. What do these two talents bring to the series table?
Rogue Squadron, in the Star Wars universe, was originally introduced to the lore in both books and video games. Both of which followed, mostly, Rebel X-Wing pilots. According to Patty Jenkins, she plans to make the “greatest fighter pilot movie of all time”. She has claimed to draw inspiration from her knowledge and experience thanks to her fighter pilot father. Knowing Hollywood’s propensity for building stories around CGI and not the story, that might very well be true. It’ll definitely be pretty to look at, that can be said without much doubt. The biggest question here though, isn’t just if the dog fights look good; but will the story be any good?
A Bit About Rogue Squadron
To be fair, the story is rumored to be partially based on some of the X-Wing novels released by Bantam Spectra and Del Rey. Any of these “loose” adaptions can range from the novels between the time frames of 1996-2012 when the books were being circulated. It has also been briefly mentioned to incorporate elements from the video games as well. Honestly, it’s not really giving much to go off of, nor is it giving us the idea of how much or how little is being “adapted”.
Patty Jenkins Takes the Helm
There isn’t any doubt in Jenkins’ chops as a film director, being as they are well earned and deserved. Her most notable work and biggest masterpiece has been 2003’s Monster. Not Wonder Woman…Monster. It was her greatest film because quite frankly she had a good amount of creative control over it. A lot of the problems that can arise in the making of large film franchises (ie: Marvel, Star Wars, DC, anything big really) a lot can depend on how big of a name and filmmaker you are, and how much power in the industry you wield. Otherwise, the reigns and decisions always aren’t entirely of your own design. It, of course, isn’t always a bad thing; but it can be a cause for concern sometimes. One would hope that Patty Jenkins will have a large say in choice, and producers will allow her some leeway. This is the hope.
A Writer Confirmed
Enter film writer Matthew Robinson. THE Rogue Squadron writer. Now the official writer for Rogue Squadron. He isn’t a bad choice. Just an interesting one. He isn’t known for his “screenwriting” capabilities, and a good majority of his films have been either a thumbs down or just “okay”. Here is the interesting thing though; George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars wasn’t great at screenwriting either. Yes, a controversial statement, but it’s a true one. Although he isn’t a great screenwriter, he IS a great storyteller and world builder. Plus the Star Wars films aren’t known for their amazing dialogue, but it’s mythology. The intriguing thing about this choice is that Robinson is also a pretty decent idea man and storyteller. His two best examples are The Invention of Lying and Monster Trucks. Sure neither of them are great films but they are good examples of world-building.
What it Means
According to this news, I think we can draw the conclusion that Rogue Squadron does indeed have potential. It just obviously depends on who is running the production and how. If left to their own devices, Patty Jenkins and Matthew Robinson could indeed make a wonderful addition to the Star Wars universe based on their talents in crafting a story. Hopefully, they can have the creative freedoms they need to make the movie the one we want to see. If they are allowed to sandbox with it, as a writer and director should, it will indeed be memorable.
What are your thoughts on Matthew Robinson joining the crew? Do you think this dynamic duo can make something special? Let us know!
