Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Jyn Erso Featurette Released

12/05/2016 09:36 am EST

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the first ever standalone movie in the Star Wars franchise, is less than two weeks away from opening in theaters. The film is directed by Gareth Edwards, and its hero is Jyn Erso, a young rebel played by Felicity Jones.

In a new featurette released by Disney in Lucasfilm, seen above, Jones explains what she and Edwards' goals were for Jyn.

"With Jyn, Gareth and I both felt that it was very important that we found her humanity and her vulnerability," Jones says. "Everyone should relate to her."

While Jones and Edwards seem quite fond of their protagonist, her relationship with the Rebel Alliance is more one of necessity.

"The rebellion have found her a little bit difficult, but they need something very specific from her," Jones says.

Diego Luna plays Jyn's commanding officer, Captain Cassian Andor of Rebel Alliance Intelligence, and he backs up that notion, though he does add that at least Cassian's understanding of Jyn changes as the film progresses.

"Jyn is, at least to the eyes of Cassian, a troublemaker," says Luna. "Then he witnesses that she's a real hero and willing to risk everything."

"Felicity brings a level of strength that always keeps you on your toes," Edwards says of Jones' performance in the film. "You want her to win."

"Oh my god, this is Star Wars," Jones notes. "This is insane, and its an experience that I will never, ever forget."

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From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters December 16, 2016.

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