Mads Mikkelsen Reveals Rogue One’s Script Was “Surprisingly Unfinished”

Mads Mikkelsen revealed that the script for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was in a constant state of flux during filming, suggesting that it may never have been fully completed.

“For a Star Wars script, it was surprisingly unfinished,” Mikkelsen shared. “It kept changing. One would think that was already done. I don’t think they ever locked in a draft. I think they kept working on it and improvised and went back and reshot stuff. And then came up with a better idea.”

Released in 2016 and directed by Gareth Edwards, Rogue One takes place just a week before the original Star Wars film. It follows rebels Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) as they embark on a mission to steal the plans for the Galactic Empire’s Death Star. Mikkelsen portrays Jyn’s father, Galen Erso, a scientist involved in the Death Star’s design. The film was a box office success, grossing $1.059 billion worldwide against a budget of approximately $300 million. Although Mikkelsen’s character doesn’t appear in the Andor spin-off series, he is referenced multiple times.

Mikkelsen added, “I think it turned out to be a really nice film.”

Looking ahead, the next Star Wars project is The Mandalorian and Grogu, featuring Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver, set to release on May 22, 2026. Additionally, Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, is currently in production.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is available for streaming now.