Here's what the first 'Star Wars' spinoff movie will be about

Kirsten Acuna

Apr 20, 2015, 00:36 IST

We finally know what the first "Star Wars" spinoff film, "Rogue One," will be about.

On the final day of "Star Wars Celebration," an annual gathering for "Star Wars" fans, director Gareth Edwards took the stage at a panel to reveal the plot of the 2016 film.

A band of resistance fighters unite for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans in Star Wars anthology film, Rogue One #RogueOne.
- Star Wars (@starwars) April 19, 2015

"A band of resistance fighters unite for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans in Star Wars anthology film, Rogue One."

According to Variety, the film will take place before "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope."

Edwards also showed off a brief teaser for the film along with concept art, which you can see below.

It sounds like it's the same concept art Disney CEO Bob Iger recently showed off at a shareholder meeting.

Concept-art de #RogueOne de Gareth Edwards ! #StarWars pic.twitter.com/78D9nrO4Jt
- Cinécomça (@Cinecomca) April 19, 2015

Here's how Variety described the teaser shown:

The teaser took on war movie visuals, showing a TIE fighter flying above a forest planet before revealing the Death Star. The footage also featured shots of soldiers running through darkness.

"The Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic, before the dark times, before the Empire," says a voiceover in the teaser.

And, here's the logo for the new film via /film editor Peter Sciretta:

This is what the Rogue One logo looks like, giving you an idea of how the stand alone movies will be presented pic.twitter.com/JW5wl5qixZ
- Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm) April 19, 2015

According to the panel, the "Star Wars" spinoff films will be referred to as anthology movies.

"Rogue One" will star Felicity Jones and will be in theaters December 16, 2016.