This is something that I've thought about since Rogue One, having a film centered around an Imperial protagonist. Since Lucasfilm has said that they want to explore narratives not possible in the main Episodes with the Anthology series, this would be an opportunity to deliver a new experience. Would you want to see film centered on Imperial characters? Whether it is a Band of Brothers style film about a group of Stormtroopers, or about the story of an Imperial ace like Maarek Stele, would you go see it?

A hope I have for any Imperial centric movie that could come out would be that we would get new ships/squadrons from the film to be in Armada, much like how Rogue One gave us Hammerhead corvettes and the MC75.

If we got the Victory and/or Gladiator onscreen that would be fantastic as well.

Yes please! I would love to see a gritty Rogue One style film. Maybe of Imperial forces on the outer rim. They signed up to make a difference, only to be met with unwavering hostility from local populaces and Rebel attacks on these upstanding citizen soldiers. I want them to paint the Imperials as human, not mindless killing drones **** bent on destruction and pacifying populations.

3 minutes ago, BlueSquadronPilot said:

Yes please! I would love to see a gritty Rogue One style film. Maybe of Imperial forces on the outer rim. They signed up to make a difference, only to be met with unwavering hostility from local populaces and Rebel attacks on these upstanding citizen soldiers. I want them to paint the Imperials as human, not mindless killing drones **** bent on destruction and pacifying populations.

... and then watch them bent on destruction and pacifying populations.... Since, Evil Empire. Can't be portrayed any other way at this point. Thrawn gets about as close as you can to "Evil for Greater Good", and in the end, even when that is challenged to him personally, Thrawn has no answer for it.

Eh. I mean i can see how quite a few might like it but personally not for me.

My interpretation of star wars is the following of a small group of rebels being persued by the faceless swarms of stormtroopers driven by villanous leaders. Dont take this as light vs dark, i look at it more as gray vs gray

I like rogue one cause it sticks with this theme. I like solo cause it also syicks with the theme, though they are rebels with different values

The sequels are on one hand likable cause they stick with these themesyet in almost every other aspect seem to tear themselves apart.

Seeing a imperial perspect film would ruin this for me. Id much rather see a team of rebels and team of imperials being forced to work together on a inhospitable planet after rebels sabotage the imperials only way off planet but then become stuck, where we can explore both sides of this galactic conflict and compare them, see how both sides are sentient, etc etc until both teams leave the planet still hostile but a little bit more understanding. (Then the teams get besieged by a small patrol fleet containing a VSD and a couple new small ships, rebels arrive, space battle where rebels are as always outnumbered or outgunned, stiff happens, retreat, movie over)

Reason for wanting this?

Clone wars TV show: battle, battle, battle, something that shows compassion happens, battle

Rebels: similar theme with conflict intermixed with scenes and episodes that show that good still exists in this galaxy filled with conflict.

Having a movie do this would allow star wars to truly explore other themes other than violence and conflict.

The fun part with Star Wars Anthology films is that you can borrow any "War Movie" theme.

1 hour ago, Drasnighta said:

... and then watch them bent on destruction and pacifying populations.... Since, Evil Empire. Can't be portrayed any other way at this point. Thrawn gets about as close as you can to "Evil for Greater Good", and in the end, even when that is challenged to him personally, Thrawn has no answer for it.

There's plenty of room for more. They explored the honor side of sticking with the Empire with Cienna in Lost Stars. I thought it was quite compelling to watch her mounting disgust with the Empire, but feeling death was the only honorable way to end that service. Something that could be explored is the other side of that coin: cowardice. There is plenty of inspiration in history of someone who sees the evil, recognizes it for what it is, but cannot bring themselves to act out of fear for themselves or family. It's definitely not an uplifting theme, and IMO is better suited to a novel, but it is certainly a valid and deep topic that could be explored.

Pick up some Zahn novels (Allegiance) or the before mentioned Thrawn - Pallaeon. Might can get out of something of Baron Fel and could focus on the rivalization with Rogue Squadron and Wedge. But yeah, at the end of the day they are either join the Rebellion, or beaten by the Evil empire for their treacherous ways.

I think this is what the Fan film "Troops" gives us, good-intended but ill-formed and advised Stormies, bungling their Police duties, as it always goes when the military is sent to do police duty every where.

'to protect and to serve' is not really their motos

TK436 is even better in the dark sided (pun intended) film, Stormtroopers is good too, showing no "plastic soldiers" but real human beings

I.M.P.S the relentless is exactly what a recruiting imperial film should be

it has always astonished me what fans with very limited budged could do, and what it could be with a full film budget....

The Empire 8s faceless by design. Stormtroopers never wear the same armor, pilots never fly the same fighter twice, to keep thrm detached from anything. Rotation of personell is constant for the very same reasin and stormies aren't allowed to call each other by names. How do you want to write a sory with developing relationships and personal growth in a system that was designed to root out anything like that?

The only possibility is to focus on an Imperial hero, but then you can't paint him anything less thn lawful evil, otherwise it wouldn't make sense... And how many moviegoers can identify themselves with such character?

Its a no from me, if theyd portray an imperial 'hero' in solo movie style.

2 hours ago, Norell said:

The only possibility is to focus on an Imperial hero, but then you can't paint him anything less thn lawful evil, otherwise it wouldn't make sense... And how many moviegoers can identify themselves with such character?

People love villains. Vader and Fett are mainstream icons, to the point where Disney's making a Fett movie, so there's a "chaotic evil." (And tell me people wouldn't watch a Vader movie.) Heck, Battlefront 2's campaign used "lawful evil" Iden Versio as an early selling point. So there's precedent they recognize darker points of view as viable storyline options.

We did watch Vader movies... episodes 1-3

Just now, Ginkapo said:

We did watch Vader movies... episodes 1-3

Was about to point that the "Imperial Hero" would just be that. Vador movies. An individual sacrificing all for the greater good and to bring order to the galaxy. Well, that's what they could have spent most of the time talking about.

This being said, one of the thing that got me interested in Star Wars Rebel (a HIGHLY family oriented show. The rebel cell is just that: A familly, with every figure representated), are the interactions between imperials characters, as Kallus, the inquisitor, Tarkin, Pryce and Thrawn are not really childish cartoon characters in that series. They don't have that much air time, but when they do, it's a treat.

if they want to really nail a movie like that they should use ww2 films from the axis perspective for inspiration.

9 hours ago, Drasnighta said:

... and then watch them bent on destruction and pacifying populations.... Since, Evil Empire. Can't be portrayed any other way at this point. Thrawn gets about as close as you can to "Evil for Greater Good", and in the end, even when that is challenged to him personally, Thrawn has no answer for it.

There is a film called Path of Glory.

The Empire is evil. Stormtroopers are not the Empire. Just a glance of what can be explored within a film.

8 hours ago, Truthiness said:

There's plenty of room for more. They explored the honor side of sticking with the Empire with Cienna in Lost Stars. I thought it was quite compelling to watch her mounting disgust with the Empire, but feeling death was the only honorable way to end that service. Something that could be explored is the other side of that coin: cowardice. There is plenty of inspiration in history of someone who sees the evil, recognizes it for what it is, but cannot bring themselves to act out of fear for themselves or family. It's definitely not an uplifting theme, and IMO is better suited to a novel, but it is certainly a valid and deep topic that could be explored.

I think my problem with it is it runs the risk of paining evil in a better light.

I mean, even with your example, Ciena KNOWS at the end she’s perpetuating Evil. That she is progressing Evil. AND STILL DOES IT.

I am a huge fan of villains and antihero stories - I mean, I’m perpetually the bad guy in all story match ups and RPGs, because someone’s got to, and in good at it...

... I just... Inherently, the Empire is Evil, and if you support by working for it, at best, aren’t you the Good Guy doing Nothing?

1 minute ago, Drasnighta said:

I think my problem with it is it runs the risk of paining evil in a better light.

I mean, even with your example, Ciena KNOWS at the end she’s perpetuating Evil. That she is progressing Evil. AND STILL DOES IT.

I am a huge fan of villains and antihero stories - I mean, I’m perpetually the bad guy in all story match ups and RPGs, because someone’s got to, and in good at it...

... I just... Inherently, the Empire is Evil, and if you support by working for it, at best, aren’t you the Good Guy doing Nothing?

Sorry, I should stipulate that I'm not talking about something that's "pro-Imperial" as the OP suggests. I'm just talking about good story telling. Take the Joker in Dark Knight. Nobody in their right mind would call that a positive image of a character. But it certainly is damned fine storytelling.

There are a lot of groups out there the Empire could fight...it could be Black Sun or a Hutt plot that needs attention or Saw Gerrera's terrorist faction of the rebellion. I'd love to see a Top gun style movie with the protagonist going through the imperial academy.

A Mara Jade movie would be cool. With her stopping a plot against the Emperor, covertly. Mission Impossible style.

It could be a tragedy. A protagonist failing to do what he should.

It could be not exactly pro-imperial but another kind of "fighting" (not only terrorism) to show up the whole Empire is not all black.

It could be just about a man with pretty limited power or none at all about what the Empire is and just be about other virtues that can be found even fighting for the wrong cause.

I mean, there is the Empire and I am pretty sure you can pick a random person within it that even work for it and is not evil (one premise). What they did during the Empire? Why they did it? There is a story behind that cause I would like to know. Let's pick a senator. Did he agree with the Emperor despotism? No he didn't. Did he joined/supported the Rebellion? No he didn't. Interesting! Why? (one story line) What he did instead? (another story line) Did he succeed? Yes? No? How? Why?

I agree about something pro-imperial would be hard and completely out from what Star Wars is about but I think there is room enough for other kind of stories beyond "let's blow-up imperials" that would add complexity to something that is intended to be complex. Leia Organa was an imperial senator! He chose her path and a brave one but why it is the only one possible. With the dissolution of the Senate you cannot just kill the Emperor and fix the Galaxy. The Galaxy was broken before and that was what allowed Palpatine to get the power. Maybe Alderaan has no problem taering the Empire to pieces but I bet for tons of systems the Empire was a necessary evil.

What good would be a Star Wars movie from Imperial perspective? Star Wars is always about a small group of friends, outnumbered and outgunned. Hope and friendship do always triumph over the mighty war machine. (Sorry didn't watch the sequels, so don't know if that changed.)

If you make a movie with Imperial hero, he/she would either be outnumbered and outgunned by rebels -- what feels really 180° wrong -- or be part of a mighty but soulless machine. Who would need a film about the latter? You can go to work if you want to know the feeling.

The only other way is a hero (or group) that is Imperial at start and ends as rebel(s). It's the Agent Kallus story.

Also WW2 movies from german perspective or GIs in vietnam stories are no good source. That's no pop-corn-entertainment blockbuster stuff. Star Wars was meant to be light and optimistic story telling as a counterpart AGAINST dark and sarcastic vietnam movies. George Lucas will take a A-wing and crush into Disneys command bridge, when they do such things!

6 minutes ago, Triangular said:

What good would be a Star Wars movie from Imperial perspective? Star Wars is always about a small group of friends, outnumbered and outgunned. Hope and friendship do always triumph over the mighty war machine. (Sorry didn't watch the sequels, so don't know if that changed.)

If you make a movie with Imperial hero, he/she would either be outnumbered and outgunned by rebels -- what feels really 180° wrong -- or be part of a mighty but soulless machine. Who would need a film about the latter? You can go to work if you want to know the feeling.

The only other way is a hero (or group) that is Imperial at start and ends as rebel(s). It's the Agent Kallus story.

Also WW2 movies from german perspective or GIs in vietnam stories are no good source. That's no pop-corn-entertainment blockbuster stuff. Star Wars was meant to be light and optimistic story telling as a counterpart AGAINST dark and sarcastic vietnam movies. George Lucas will take a A-wing and crush into Disneys command bridge, when they do such things!

like rogue one you meant?

You could still do an imperial hero that props up the new order but doesn’t exactly like it.

And ever since Andor straight up murdered a guy 10 mins into R1, rebels ain’t all sweetness & light either.

1 minute ago, ovinomanc3r said:

like rogue one you meant?

I like Rogue One. This movie resembles a bit episode V. It's darker and harder. But it's still a group of friends against all odds, outnumbered and outgunned fighting the big evil. No exception in my eyes.