Marvel didn’t get to have a very active role in the lead-up to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, since most of the comics being published last December were set after A New Hope. The publisher hopes to do things differently before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters though.
Ahead of this weekend’s C2E2 in Chicago, Marvel showed a slide at the Diamond Retailer Breakfast on March 18 that announced a Rogue One lead-in series. According to the photo posted at BleedingCool, the series will include three issues, as well as a one-shot, before the movie comes out on Dec. 16.
ComicBook.com later confirmed that the series will be a prequel, leading right into the events of the movie. No creative team was announced.
Marvel being allowed to introduce fans to Rogue One characters before the movie opens is in stark contrast to how the publisher was able to work with The Force Awakens. They weren’t even allowed to have a comic adaptation of the movie ready. The first series with one of the new characters, Poe Dameron, doesn’t start until April. The film adaptation won’t start until June.
Marvel was even forced to delay a one-shot that explained how C-3PO got his red arm in The Force Awakens. It is finally coming out on March 30.
Rogue One is the first stand-alone Star Wars movie and is set just before the events of A New Hope to explain how the rebels got their hands on the Death Star plans. Starring Felicity Jones, the movie is being directed by Godzilla’s Gareth Edwards.