Gareth Edwards, the director of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, has made it clear—he’s done with Star Wars and is “very happy to move on and do [his] thing.”
While promoting his more recent work, Edwards spoke to Business Insider about the franchise that helped launch his name into blockbuster status.
Despite not planning to return, he’s not bitter about it. In fact, he still holds a deep love for the original trilogy. “It’s the thing that was in my life before I knew what a film was,” Edwards shared. “It’s like your mom; it’s like something that’s a part of you.”
Though many fans have recently warmed up to Rogue One, calling it one of the best Star Wars movies Disney has released since acquiring Lucasfilm in 2012, Edwards stays humble. “I don’t agree with it, but I appreciate it,” he said. “I’m very grateful that people say nice things.”
Rogue One, released in 2016, starred Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikkelsen, and Forest Whitaker. The film was widely praised for its grittier tone and memorable third act, and over time it has earned a strong following. But Edwards doesn’t get caught up in day-one reactions. He encourages a long view of filmmaking.
“What you have to keep in your pocket as you go through making other films is that it’s not about how people feel the day it gets released,” he said. “It’s how people feel about it 10, 20 years from now.”
He likens releasing a movie to living in the future, saying, “You’re trying to imagine what all these decisions will feel like a year from now. When the movie comes out, you pretend you’re living ten years ahead. That’s the only way to stay sane.”
According to Edwards, the real reward comes much later: “It’s the kid who comes up to you 20 years from now and goes, ‘Oh my god, I loved that movie!’ That’s what makes it all worth it.”
Gareth also credits Star Wars: A New Hope with shaping his life. In a past interview with The Guardian, he said, “I don’t remember exactly when I first saw A New Hope; it’s always just sort of existed for me.”
From the age of six, he watched it daily for years. “I must have seen it more than 200 times. My mum remembers me quoting it word for word on long car journeys. I once did the entire script,” he added.
So while Gareth Edwards may be moving on from directing Star Wars films, the galaxy far, far away is still very much a part of him.
