Summary

• Gareth Edwards was honored with a hometown mural, considered better than an Oscar.
• Edwards directed Rogue One, a gritty Star Wars prequel with iconic moments.
• Edwards' successful filmography spans from Monsters to Godzilla and potentially Jurassic World 4.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards gets honored by his hometown in a touching tribute. Directed by Edwards, and co-written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, the prequel film follows the rebel team who steal the secret plans to the Death Star, representing the Rebel's first victory against the Empire referenced in the original opening crawl. Rogue One's cast and characters include Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, Donnie Yen as Chirrut Îmwe, Alan Tudyk as K-2SO, Riz Ahmed as Bodhi Rook, Jiang Wen as Baze Malbus, and Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera.

Per BBC, Edwards had a Star Wars-themed mural dedicated to him in his hometown of Nuneaton, England, which the director says is "better than an Oscar." Check out the mural below:

The mural was painted by Nathan Parker and an artist called Si W, who had a chance to FaceTime with Edwards after the director's mother witnessed them working on it. It was painted in honor of Star Wars Day on May 4 to celebrate that Edwards hails from Nuneaton. Read Parker's comments below:

She saw stormtroopers appearing on the wall so she walked over and introduced herself. We wanted to do it to celebrate Star Wars Day - May 4 is traditionally Star Wars Day - so we thought we'd paint a nice wall to celebrate the fact that Gareth comes from Nuneaton. He was really pleased with what we'd done so it was really nice, it really made our day. His friends had told him it was better than getting an award, but he looked at the phone and said that's better than getting an Oscar. He was incredibly humble.

Gareth Edwards' Hometown Has Good Reason To Be Proud Of Him

Considering that Edwards directed one of the best Star Wars movies ever made, his hometown has good reason to be proud of him. Rogue One famously adopted a grittier tone compared to other Star Wars movies, delving into the moral ambiguity of war, sacrifice, and the complexities of rebellion, showcasing a side of the Star Wars universe that isn't explored often in the main saga. Rogue One also features one of the best scenes in Star Wars history, as Darth Vader slaughters an entire hallway full of Rebel soldiers.

Edwards' accomplishments also extend beyond the Star Wars franchise. Before Rogue One, he gained recognition for a small-budget independent movie, Monsters, and went on to direct 2014's Godzilla, which still stands as one of the best Monsterverse movies. In 2023, he returned to making original sci-fi films with The Creator which, packed with fantastic visual effects and spectacular set pieces, manages to look much more expensive than its $80 budget would suggest. The Creator was also nominated for two Oscars for Best Sound and Visual Effects though, as Edwards says, he considers his hometown mural a greater honor.

The Creator is streaming on Hulu.

Edwards is also in talks to direct Jurassic World 4, which will reportedly star Scarlett Johansson and Bridgerton's Jonathan Baily in lead roles. If his past work on Godzilla and Rogue One is any indication, Edwards is a great choice to revitalize the flailing Jurassic Park franchise. From Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to revitalizing other major film franchises, Edwards' hometown has good reason to be proud of him as his career continues to flourish.

Rogue One is streaming on Disney+.

Source: BBC