That Badass Darth Vader Scene in ROGUE ONE Was Rumored To Be Directed By Dave Filoni, But It’s Not True
Updated: It has been pointed out to me that this information is false, so I just wanted to let you! The films screenwriter Gary Whitta confirmed that it’s not true, so I wanted to pass the word along and apologize. I didn’t realize it wasn’t true. Dave Filoni did not direct this scene. So, Kudos to director Gareth Edwards and his team for the badass job they did making that film!
One of the best Darth Vader scenes in any Star Wars project was featured in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. That scene sent shivers down the spine of every Star Wars fan who watched it!
The scene is set aboard a Rebel ship, where a group of Rebels are trying to escape with the plans for the Death Star. Suddenly, the lights go out and the sound of heavy breathing fills the air. Darth Vader has arrived and he’s pissed.
As the Rebels frantically try to pass the plans to one another, Darth Vader begins to furiously make his way through the ship, brutally cutting down anyone in his path with his lightsaber. The tension builds as the Rebels are desperately trying to get the plans out of harm's way.
Just as it seems that all is lost, one Rebel manages to pass the plans through a small opening in the ship's door, just in time to escape Vader's wrath.
The scene is a masterclass in tension-building and showcases the sheer power of Darth Vader. Well, according to Star Wars: Rebels voice actor Freddie Prinze Jr., that scene was directed by Dave Filoni! While appearing on Lights, Camera, Barstool, Prinze Jr., admits he may not be allowed to reveal this information, but dropped the info anyway.
Prinze Jr. says Filoni also said that Filoni recast the actor under the Darth Vader suit because, "Darth Vader doesn't talk with his hands, but this one clearly does."
This is quite the revelation, and it makes total sense of why that scene ended up being so damn great! Filoni hasn’t said anything about this, but if he wasn’t supposed to say anything maybe it was a secret. Filoni is definitely going to be asked about this in upcoming interviews, so it will be interesting to see what he says.
Filoni is considered to be the successor to George Lucas' Star Wars because of their collaboration on The Clone Wars and Rebels. Filoni didn't make the jump to live-action Star Wars projects until The Mandalorian came along. But, it sounds like he got a crack at directing live-action a little earlier with this scene in Rogue One.