Felicity Jones is the first actress to be confirmed for a role in "Star Wars: Rogue One."
Although her role has not yet been announced, there are speculations that "The Theory of Everything" star might be portraying the young Princess Leia. The spin-off is scheduled to be released by Dec. 16, 2016.
"There are plenty of strong women in the Star Wars universe, granted - Mara Jade, Jaina Solo and Aurra Sing to name but a few - but rarely, if ever, do they take centre stage. In the original trilogy there were a handful of female characters but only three of them ever had the chance to even speak," Sarah Doran wrote.
Doran commented that there were not a lot of women who are able to lead the charge against the Galactic Empire in the "Star Wars" series. She mentioned that Princess Leia was not remembered for her rebellious nature, but only for wearing a skimpy gold bikini and spiral hair buns.
Furthermoe, although Padme Amidala proved her guts during "The Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones," she became a frightened senator in "Revenge of the Sith" when Anakin Skywalker turned to the Dark Side.
"I'm rather excited to see the Star Wars film franchise choosing a woman to lead the first spin-off. For me, the confirmation of Felicity Jones's casting signals that the sci-fi franchise really is ready to step into the 21st Century," she added.
There are speculations that the upcoming "Star Wars: Rogue One" might be about Wedge Antilles, the Rogue One or leader of the Rebel Alliance's Rogue Squadron. However, with Felicity Jones' casting confirmation, the spin-off may also be about Princess Leia's backstory.
Chris Weitz, who wrote "About a Boy," "Twilight: New Moon" and Disney's "Cinderella" live-action adaptation, will also be writing the script for "Rogue One." Weitz's enlistment in the film may be an indication that a strong female character is well underway.