While he’s usually found classing up smaller indie movies such as The Place Beyond The Pines, Starred Up, Killing Them Softly and Animal Kingdom, Ben Mendelsohn is not exactly a stranger to blockbuster fare, having appeared in The Dark Knight Rises and last year’s Exodus: Gods And Kings. But a potential new job could rocket him even further into the public consciousness as Deadline reports he’s circling a role in Gareth Edwards’ Star Wars spin-off film **Rogue One.
Naturally, this has to fall into the category of rumour (signalling that we must also link here), since no official announcement has been made and it appears that no deal has been hammered out as of yet. But he’s certainly a fine choice to star alongside Felicity Jones, as he brings a lot to every role.
Edwards’ film, the first of the “stand-alone” **Star Wars **entries, is somewhat naturally still cloaked in secrecy. We do know that the original idea came from effects guru John Knoll and that Gary Whitta and more recently Chris Weitz have been at work on the script. Alexandre Desplat is aboard to compose the music and Edwards is scheduled to begin shooting this summer in the UK. Speculation has pointed to the plot bounty hunters stealing plans for the first death star, though the title suggests more about the Rebel Alliance’s elite fighter squadron.
**Rogue One **is set to touch down here on December 16, 2016, following **Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens **on December 18 of this year. Mendelsohn will be seen in the movies Mississippi Grind and Slow West, and is one of the stars of Netflix’s latest drama, Bloodline.
For eveything we know about Rogue One, read our complete guide.