Rogue One: A Star Wars Story did – and obviously there’s a major spoiler coming right up – end with each and every one of its key players dying.
After retrieving the plans for the Death Star, they were all able to transmit them off-planet before that iconic moon-size weapon destroyed them all – leading seamlessly into A New Hope.
Diego Luna played Cassian Andor; a character who will be revisited in a new TV series; presumably a prequel.
But at the time, the finality of that ending meant he was “so disappointed” to be killed off from a franchise he loves.
Speaking to Syfy, he said: “When I saw the film the first time, I was so disappointed at the end. And not because of the film.
“My son said, ‘But that’s it, Dad. Right? That’s it.’
“And I go, ‘Well, yes. That’s the thing about this film.’
“Even though I knew, and I understood, I think that’s the moment where I really got it.”
He elaborated: “I really realised that a character I loved, and a universe I couldn’t care more about [was done].
“But the tone of our film, it pays honor to, I believe, the best times of this universe.
“And obviously, I say the best because it’s when I was open and ready to receive that.
“Those [Star Wars] films left a very deep mark on me, as [the] audience, and as a filmmaker.”
Rogue One was the first Star Wars spin-off of the Disney era, and it was a huge success at the box office.
But the second spin-off – Solo: A Star Wars Story – fared considerably worse, and now no more films of its kind are currently on the slate.
That being said, David Benioff and DB Weiss will launch an all-new trilogy once the current main Skywalker Saga is concluded by the release of Episode 9 this December.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is out on December 19.