GET UP TO SPEED ON ROGUE TROOPER

IT’S BASED ON A UK COMICS CLASSIC

Though the titular Rogue Trooper is a dead ringer for Colonel Quaritch in Avatar: The Way Of Water, this blueskinned beefcake has been around for much longer. Created in 1981, Rogue appeared in the UK comic book 2000 AD, best known for Judge Dredd. A champion of the mag, Moon director Duncan Jones announced his passion project in 2018. The film, which stars Dunkirk’s Aneurin Barnard, Hayley Atwell and Jack Lowden, has now wrapped the main portion of its production.

IT’S INDIE FILMMAKING ON AN EPIC SCALE

Adapting Rogue Trooper was always going to be challenging: it’s a sci-fi epic about a vengeful, genetically modified super-soldier on a war-ravaged Nu-earth, with his comrades’ consciousnesses uploaded to his rifle, helmet and backpack (yes, a sentient backpack). But advances in Unreal Engine, software designed by video-game developers to bring virtual worlds to life, have changed everything. This powerful tool means that Jones can achieve out-of-this-world visuals while maintaining some British indie spirit. Plus the VFX are by Dorsetbased filmmakers Treehouse Digital. It doesn’t get more homegrown than this.

THIS IS SUPERPOLITICAL SCI-FI

The original comic has strong satirical overtones, borrowing imagery, plot and even the names of battles from the US Civil War, World War II and the Vietnam War. The endless conflict Rogue finds himself in is between two authoritarian factions who’ve made Nu-earth’s air unbreathable through the use of bioweapons. War is heck.

BUT IT’S NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM

Jones has described 2000 AD’S body of work as having a Pythonesque streak and described his script on social media as “like if Guardians Of The Galaxy had a baby with The Raid”. It’s an intriguingly bonkers-sounding combination, and the cast also features cult comedy favourites Reece Shearsmith (playing the sentient backpack), Jemaine Clement, Matt Berry and Alice Lowe.

THERE COULD BE A LOT MORE TO COME

The wider Trooperverse contains several spin-offs with story potential, including the origins of amoral female soldier Venus Bluegenes. 2000 AD recently brought Rogue back with a new story in which a time-rift causes him to fight alongside British soldiers from the First World War. He even met Judge Dredd in a one-off special — perhaps Jones will “go rogue” and introduce his trooper to the infamous masked lawman… ROGUE TROOPER DOES NOT YET HAVE A UK RELEASE DATE