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---
title: Rogue One: Star Wars Introduces New Characters
description: Rogue One directors admit some favorite characters won't be in the new movie.
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author: Melissa Locker
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article:published_time: 2016-07-27T21:35:00.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:44:39.181Z
og:title: Why Your Favorite Star Wars Characters Won't Be in Rogue One
og:description: Kathleen Kennedy debunked a few rumors about the film
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twitter:title: Why Your Favorite Star Wars Characters Won't Be in Rogue One
twitter:description: Kathleen Kennedy debunked a few rumors about the film
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4044c0adcdb7cd2e/69888e2ea988ca9c0a6b74f7/star-wars-rogue-one-10.jpg?branch=production&width=800&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# The _Star Wars_ Universe Is Expanding With Brand New Characters in _Rogue One_

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by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Jul 27, 2016 9:35 PM UTC

![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4044c0adcdb7cd2e/69888e2ea988ca9c0a6b74f7/star-wars-rogue-one-10.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Lucasfilm Ltd.

by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Jul 27, 2016 9:35 PM UTC

Get ready to meet some new characters in the [_Star Wars_ universe](http://time.com/3742808/star-wars-rogue-one/?iid=sr-link6)—and hopefully all of them will be more welcome additions than Jar Jar Binks.

LucasFilm President Kathleen Kennedy answered a few pointed questions about the movie on the _Star Wars_ Celebration red carpet. Apparntely _Rogue One_ will lead directly into the original _Star Wars_ story, _A New Hope_ she told _Extra_. However, don’t expect to see Anakin Skywalker or a young Han Solo make an appearance in the film. Kennedy said that the new movie is a “separate story” and will have “a completely new and separate set of characters.”

Kennedy went on to debunk rumors that Hayden Christiansen, who played [Anakin Skywalker](http://time.com/4379840/star-wars-rogue-one-darth-vader/?iid=sr-link1) in the _Star Wars_ prequels, is making an appearance in _Rogue One_, and neither is a young Han Solo, which was [seconded](https://twitter.com/extratv/status/755428380846141441) by director Gareth Edwards.

> [](https://twitter.com/extratv/status/755465716866834432)

Here are seven things we do know about [_Rogue One_](http://time.com/4284989/rogue-one-trailer-what-we-learned/?iid=sr-link3), and why not watch the [new trailer](http://time.com/4284984/star-wars-rogue-one-trailer-questions-rumors/?iid=sr-link4) on repeat until _Rogue One_ opens in theaters December 16.

\[H/T [Business Insider](http://www.businessinsider.com/rogue-one-characters-from-star-wars-not-in-the-movie-2016-7?utm%5Fsource=feedly&utm%5Fmedium=webfeeds)\]

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