The team behind Rogue One: A Star Wars Story are turning the movie's iconic imagery into a protest movement against US president-elect Donald Trump.
In the wake of Trump's anti-immigrant and sexist rhetoric somehow carrying him to the White House, Rogue One writers Chris Weitz and Gary Whitta are using Star Wars' Rebel insignia to inspire his opponents.
The two have combined the black Rebellion symbol with a safety pin, itself an image championed by many after Brexit as a way to rally support for immigrant and other minority groups.
"Please note that the Empire is a white supremacist (human) organization," Weitz tweeted to his followers, with Whitta adding: "Opposed by a multi-cultural group led by brave women."
That nod to "brave women" not only seemingly refers to Trump's opponent Hillary Clinton, but also the Star Wars franchise's own strong female leaders like General Leia and Rogue One's own Jyn Erso.
Weitz is also rallying anti-Trump protestors with a slogan: "Star Wars against hate. Spread it."
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That message is being supported by Jedi master Mark Hamill, who was among the many to retweet the "Star Wars against hate" rallying cry.
A theme of multiculturalism has carried through the Star Wars franchise all the way back to the early years. George Lucas famously created a Rebel alliance made up of men and women from different alien races to fight together against the evil Empire.
When a small faction of racist Star Wars fans protested The Force Awakens for casting black actor John Boyega as its hero, director JJ Abrams and Lucasfilm held firm with their choice and their movie subsequently made over $2 billion at the box office.
Whether the "Star Wars against hate" movement will be as wide-reaching remains to be seen, but we love the passion!
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story touches down on December 15 in the UK and the following day in the US.
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
