Since Disney showcased many upcoming Star Wars titles being added to Disney+ in coming years, both casual and hardcore fans are excited for the future of the franchise once more. One title that raised more than a few eyebrows has been the announcement of Rogue Squadron.
Fans from the Legends Era were treated to a mention of the legendary Rogue Squadron in the starfighter combat game, Star Wars: Squadrons. At first, this interaction seemed like just a fun little Easter egg referencing all the games, novels and comics that inspired this latest title. However, with the reveal of a Rogue Squadron film in production, it might make what has happened in the Squadrons game an important hint towards what to expect from the upcoming movie.
Early on in the main campaign, Vanguard Squadron is assisted by ace pilot Wedge Antillies, a member of Rogue Squadron. Their mission is to disable and capture an Imperial Star Destroyer as part of the New Republic's Project Starhawk. When trying to talk with Wedge, he tells you a bit about his backstory: he was originally a pilot for the Empire before defecting, and he spent time in Rogue Squadron. He doesn't go into detail about his squad however, as he mentions that their operations are strictly classified. General Hera Syndulla, originally the pilot and de facto leader of Phoenix Squadron in the animated series, Star Wars Rebels, also makes an appearance in the game.
Project Starhawk is essentially a new line of battleships that have been reverse engineered from the Empire's own Star Destroyers. A central part of its armament is a powerful tractor beam that can pull in, repel or rip enemy ships apart. While Squadron's campaign is centered around the Starhawk superweapon, it's unknown if the New Republic's project will play any role in the film. Since Wedge won't go into detail about his own squad's operation, there's a lot of room for speculation as to what Rogue Squadron has been up to in the Disney Canon.
Video game tie-ins with TV and movie productions were quite common in the Star Wars franchise before the Disney purchase. One title known as Star Wars: Bounty Hunter told the story of how Jango Fett became the template for the Republic's Clone Army, setting the stage for Attack of the Clones. These tie-ins have even gone so far as to connect EA's Star Wars Battlefront II with the hit show The Mandalorian, with the character Mayfeld, an ex-imperial sharpshooter, mentioning Operation Cinder. This was a scorched earth policy undertaken by the Empire in the final years of the war, and an operation experienced by players first hand in some early missions of Battlefront 2's campaign.
Rogue Squadron, also called Rogue Group, was originally created by Luke Skywalker after he formally joined the rebellion. The squad was featured in The Empire Strikes Back, playing a crucial role in the Battle of Hoth that allowed the rebels to escape to continue the fight. In the original Legends lore, Rogue Squadron became an iconic and elite starfighter squadron for the New Republic, providing crucial help in taking Coruscant from the Empire. They hunted down warlords that made up the Imperial Remnant, and even took part in direct engagements against the Yuuzhan Vong, a species of extragalactic invaders looking to conquer the entire galaxy.
One major detail about Rogue Squadron that remains unknown is when it will be taking place. The answer would radically alter the plot and drive of the film. Since it's highly unlikely to take place after the events of The Rise of Skywalker, that would leave either the later years of the Galactic Civil War or the era of the New Republic. Regardless of when it takes place or if it actually ties into the Squadons game, the Patty Jenkins-directed film is still exciting. Jenkins is known for directing the Wonder Woman movie, and Rogue Squadron will make her the first woman to direct a Star Wars film. While the movie is still a few years away, the project as a whole is incredibly exciting.