Rogue One’s Riz Ahmed Defends the Star Wars Prequels

Some headlines for reviews of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story have used the opportunity to tear down the prequel trilogy further. Saying things like “finally a prequel worth watching” may seem like a cheap shot, and according to actor Riz Ahmed, who plays the Imperial Pilot defector Bodhi Rook in the film, it is exactly that.

“I did not have a massive problem with the prequels at all,” Ahmed told Screencrush when they brought the prequels up. “There were some elements that stood out. Jar Jar Binks, I didn’t enjoy him as a character. But people had a problem with them because they weren’t broad and tough and cheek. I enjoy that. I enjoy the fact that it was about grown-up politics and the dissolution of the League of Nations and World War and the rise of fascism. I really enjoyed that, and I really enjoyed Clone Wars.” That’s a reminder that without the prequels, we wouldn’t have Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

“I really don’t see what the big problem is, to be quite honest,” Ahmed continued. “If all Star Wars movies were the same, it’d be boring. I hope each new movie adds a new dimension, and I think that’s certainly what Rogue One does.”

Deft redirect to the film he’s promoting there, eh? Ahmed also said that his favorite, if he’s forced to choose, is Empire Strikes Back, but he once again tied it to his own film.

“I prefer The Empire Strikes Back because it’s a little bit darker, I guess, in the same way I feel proud of this film. It’s got quite an edge to it, yeah. That’s what I’ll say.”

UP NEXT: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Review: A Tremendous Film

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits US theaters December 16, 2016. Directed by Gareth Edwards, it’s the first of the new standalone features from Lucasfilm and Disney, which take place outside the core “Skywalker Saga” of films noted by an Episode number. Rogue Onetells the story of the small band of rebels that were tasked with stealing the plans to the first Death Star. The story spins directly off the opening crawl from the original Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. In that crawl, it read: “Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet.”

MORE STAR WARS NEWS: Who are the Characters in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story? | Star Wars: How Gareth Edwards Found the WWII Feel for Rogue One | Kevin Smith Says Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Is Empire Strikes Back Great | Mark Hamill Thinks Star Wars Standalones Have An Advantage Over the Saga | Why Darth Vader’s Costume Changed for Rogue One| How Rogue One Opens Without a Crawl

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