“There is a 97.6 percent chance of failure,” one of the characters says in the new trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, referring to their scheme to steal the plans for the Death Star. I’m not sure the percentage is that high for the movie itself, but it’s got to be up there. There’s a lot of risk for Rogue One, or at least as much risk as there can be for a Star Wars movie. It’s got to prove that there is life for the franchise beyond the main “saga” films. And it’s got to prove that a prequel can work in Star Wars (previously, it hasn’t always worked out for this property). Even in a galaxy far, far away, those are some awfully big questions.

Rogue One, directed by Gareth Edwards, stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed and, of course, James Earl Jones as the voice of Yoda. (Okay fine, Darth Vader. I was just checking if you were paying attention.) The succinct official plot synopsis:

A band of resistance fighters unite for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans.

A few choice screengrabs:

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Rogue One Death Star
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Rogue One Darth Vader 1
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Anyone else get a Suicide Squad vibe from this trailer? I kept waiting for Mon Mothma to tell Felicity Jones if she doesn’t go along with the plan they’ll detonate the nanite bomb in her neck. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story opens in theaters on December 16.

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