Director Orson Callan Krennic is a fictional character in the
''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed by Australian actor
Ben Mendelsohn
Paul Benjamin Mendelsohn (born 3 April 1969) is an Australian actor. He first rose to prominence in Australia for his breakout role in ''The Year My Voice Broke'' (1987) and since then he has had roles in films such as '' Animal Kingdom'' (2010) ...
in the 2016 film ''
Rogue One
''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' (or simply ''Rogue One'') is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards. The screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy is from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta. It was produced by Luc ...
'' as the main antagonist. Krennic is the Director of Advanced Weapons Research for the
Galactic Empire
Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fantasy and science fiction, particularly in works known as 'space operas'. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background or written about the growth and/or decline of s ...
, and was introduced in the 2016 prequel novel ''
Catalyst
Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...
'' by
James Luceno
James Luceno (born 1947) is a ''New York Times'' bestselling author, best known for his novels and reference books connected with the ''Star Wars'' franchise and the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and (with Brian Daley under the shared pseudony ...
.
Character
Origins
Industrial Light & Magic
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American motion picture visual effects company that was founded on May 26, 1975 by George Lucas. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lucas founded, and was created when he began pro ...
chief creative officer
A chief creative officer (CCO) is the highest ranking position of the creative team within a company. Depending on the type of company, this position may be responsible for the overall look and feel of marketing, media, and branding associated with ...
John Knoll
John Knoll (born October 6, 1962) is an American visual effects supervisor and chief creative officer (CCO) at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). One of the original creators of Adobe Photoshop (along with his brother, Thomas Knoll), he has also ...
, credited for the story of ''Rogue One'', told ''
Vanity Fair'' in 2016 that he conceived the plot of the film while working as a
visual effects supervisor
In the context of film and television production, a visual effects supervisor is responsible for achieving the creative aims of the director or producers through the use of visual effects.
While it is a creative role, most supervisors possess a st ...
on the 2005 film ''
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith''. Hearing about the development of a live-action ''Star Wars'' television series, he conceived a story, inspired by a plot point mentioned in the
opening crawl
The ''Star Wars'' opening crawl is a signature device of the opening sequences of every numbered film of the ''Star Wars'' series, an American epic space opera franchise created by George Lucas. Within a black sky background featuring a smatteri ...
of the original 1977 film ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'', which would eventually become ''Rogue One''. In Knoll's original story draft of the film, Krennic was a double agent on
Jyn Erso
Jyn Erso is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed by English actress Felicity Jones in the 2016 film ''Rogue One''. Jyn aids the Rebel Alliance in a desperate attempt to steal the plans to the Death Star, a weapon of t ...
's team reporting to the Imperial Security Bureau. However, this was changed when
Gary Whitta
Gary Leslie Whitta (born 21 July 1972) is an English screenwriter, author, game designer, and video game journalist. He was editor-in-chief of both the UK and US editions of ''PC Gamer'' magazine and contributor to gaming magazine ''ACE''.
Whit ...
came aboard to write the script.
Earlier planned endings for the film featured Krennic surviving the events on
Scarif
The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney ...
before being killed by
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...
for not preventing the theft of the plans to the
Death Star
The Death Star is a fictional space station and Weapon of mass destruction, superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' Space opera, space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire (Star Wars), Galactic Empire, the Death Star ...
. The scene was cut as writers had trouble justifying why Krennic would have survived the explosion the Death Star caused.
Casting
In March 2015, it was announced that
Ben Mendelsohn
Paul Benjamin Mendelsohn (born 3 April 1969) is an Australian actor. He first rose to prominence in Australia for his breakout role in ''The Year My Voice Broke'' (1987) and since then he has had roles in films such as '' Animal Kingdom'' (2010) ...
had been cast in a lead role in ''Rogue One''. Mendelsohn said in an interview he learned about his casting while filming ''
Bloodline
Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...
'', having dinner in a restaurant with director
Gareth Edwards
Sir Gareth Owen Edwards CBE (born 12 July 1947) is a Welsh former rugby union player who played scrum-half and has been described by the BBC as "arguably the greatest player ever to don a Welsh jersey".
In 2003, in a poll of international ru ...
, "He
dwardstold me about the story and he told me about the character and then he said, 'I want you to do it.'" Mendelsohn noted his response was immediate.
Description
The character of Orson Krennic is depicted as a power-hungry and ruthless Imperial weapons developer overseeing the construction of the
Death Star
The Death Star is a fictional space station and Weapon of mass destruction, superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' Space opera, space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire (Star Wars), Galactic Empire, the Death Star ...
, a
space station
A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a human crew in orbit for an extended period of time, and is therefore a type of space habitat. It lacks major propulsion or landing systems. An orbital station or an orbital space station i ...
with the capability to destroy an entire planet. Krennic has a rivalry with
Grand Moff Tarkin
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, introduced as the main antagonist of the original 1977 ''Star Wars'' film (played by Peter Cushing). In the film, Tarkin is depicted as a high-ranking officer of ...
, and seeks to win the favor of
Emperor Palpatine
Sheev Palpatine, also known by his Sith name Darth Sidious, is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Initially credited as the Emperor in the original trilogy films, ''The Empire Strikes ...
.
James Luceno
James Luceno (born 1947) is a ''New York Times'' bestselling author, best known for his novels and reference books connected with the ''Star Wars'' franchise and the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and (with Brian Daley under the shared pseudony ...
, author of the novel ''
Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel'' which introduced Krennic, has said, "Orson Krennic prides himself in being able to get his way through manipulation and whatever devilish things he can come up with. He also has the ability to stay on his feet even when punches are being hurled at him. He can change strategies in the middle of things. This, combined with his innate volatility, makes him a very different kind of villain than we've seen."
In an interview with
Collider
A collider is a type of particle accelerator which brings two opposing particle beams together such that the particles collide. Colliders may either be ring accelerators or linear accelerators.
Colliders are used as a research tool in particle ...
, Mendelsohn spoke of his character, saying "He's an outsider, essentially. He's an outsider in so far as he's not a born officer class guy, he's a guy that worked his way up and regards a lot of the officer class as just not really worth their salt. And he is a guy that as it were has come up through stuff, so he has a great force of will, he also very much believes in the Empire's agenda, he's very onboard with it. He's risen his way up to become the head of military intelligence and operations and he's going to build this Death Star."
Appearances
''Catalyst''
Krennic first appears in the 2016 prequel novel ''
Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel'' by
James Luceno
James Luceno (born 1947) is a ''New York Times'' bestselling author, best known for his novels and reference books connected with the ''Star Wars'' franchise and the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and (with Brian Daley under the shared pseudony ...
. A Lieutenant Commander in the
Galactic Republic
The Galactic Republic, often referred to as simply the Republic, is a fictional galactic polity depicted in the ''Star Wars'' universe, where it existed prior to the establishment of the Galactic Empire. The Republic is most prominently por ...
Special Weapons group, he rescues his old friend
Galen Erso
This incomplete list of characters from the ''Star Wars'' franchise contains only those which are considered part of the official ''Star Wars'' canon, as of the changes made by Lucasfilm in April 2014. Following its acquisition by The Walt Dis ...
, a scientist who has been kidnapped with his family by Separatist agents. Following the formation of the Empire, Krennic manipulates Galen to work on the
Death Star
The Death Star is a fictional space station and Weapon of mass destruction, superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' Space opera, space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire (Star Wars), Galactic Empire, the Death Star ...
project. The novel also explains how Krennic's interrogation of
Poggle the Lesser, a character introduced in ''
Attack of the Clones
Attack may refer to:
Warfare and combat
* Offensive (military)
* Charge (warfare)
* Attack (fencing)
* Strike (attack)
* Attack (computing)
* Attack aircraft
Books and publishing
* ''The Attack'' (novel), a book
* '' Attack No. 1'', comic ...
'', kickstarted the Empire's Death Star Project.
''Rogue One''
''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' was released in December 2016, featuring Ben Mendelsohn in the role of Orson Krennic. In the beginning of the film, he captures Galen Erso to force him to continue helping the Empire build the Death Star. Over a decade later, Krennic meets with
Grand Moff Tarkin
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, introduced as the main antagonist of the original 1977 ''Star Wars'' film (played by Peter Cushing). In the film, Tarkin is depicted as a high-ranking officer of ...
, who expresses skepticism about his management of the Death Star project. When the Death Star is completed, Krennic tests its
superlaser on the capital city of
Jedha
The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney ...
upon Tarkin's request, killing Rebel extremist
Saw Gerrera
Saw Gerrera is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was originally introduced as a minor character in the animated series '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', where he was voiced by Andrew Kishino. He was subsequently played by Fo ...
and his Partisans. Once Krennic has proven the station's power, the imperious Tarkin uses a recent security leak as a pretext to wrest control of the weapon away from him. A furious Krennic travels to
Eadu
The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and Natural satellite, moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered Star Wars canon, canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisi ...
to confront Galen and his team of engineers, whom he believes may be responsible for the leak. After Galen confesses, he is mortally wounded during a Rebel attack and Krennic flees. He later meets with
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...
on
Mustafar
Mustafar () is a fictional volcanic and lava planet in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the final prequel film, ''Revenge of the Sith'' (2005), it also appeared in the films ''Rogue One'' (2016) and ''Episode IX – The Rise of Skywal ...
, seeking an audience with
Palpatine
Sheev Palpatine, also known by his Sith name Darth Sidious, is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Initially credited as the Emperor in the original trilogy films, ''The Empire Strikes ...
and to regain command of the Death Star, but is Force-choked and dismissed to ensure there are no further security breaches related to the Death Star project. Krennic goes to Scarif as the Rebels engage Imperial forces there, and sends his Death Trooper guards into battle while he attempts to stop the Rebels from stealing the Death Star plans hidden in the Scarif Imperial facility. Krennic shoots and wounds
Cassian Andor
Cassian Andor is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, primarily portrayed by actor Diego Luna. Introduced in the feature film ''Rogue One'' (2016) as a supporting character, he is the protagonist of the ongoing prequel televisio ...
, and later tries to kill
Jyn Erso
Jyn Erso is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed by English actress Felicity Jones in the 2016 film ''Rogue One''. Jyn aids the Rebel Alliance in a desperate attempt to steal the plans to the Death Star, a weapon of t ...
, but Andor recovers and shoots Krennic, incapacitating him. Krennic is subsequently killed by the superlaser of the Death Star when it fires on Scarif at the order of Tarkin.
Related works and merchandising
Krennic appears in the
film novelization of ''Rogue One'' by Alexander Freed.
Krennic is a playable character in the 2015
action
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
shooter video game
Shooter video games or shooters are a subgenre of action video games where the focus is almost entirely on the defeat of the character's enemies using the weapons given to the player. Usually these weapons are firearms or some other long-range ...
''
Star Wars Battlefront'', as part of the 2016
downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
(DLC) ''Rogue One: Scarif''
expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, supplement, or simply expansion is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game, video game or collectible card game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, characters, or an ...
. He also appears as a playable character in the
mobile
Mobile may refer to:
Places
* Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city
* Mobile County, Alabama
* Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S.
* Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels
* Mobile ( ...
turn-based
In video and other games, the passage of time must be handled in a way that players find fair and easy to understand. This is usually done in one of the two ways: real-time and turn-based.
Real-time
Real-time games have game time progress cont ...
role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
''
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes'', classified as an Empire support who inflicts various debuffs and works well with a Death Trooper. He is also a Dark Side squad leader in the 2017
MOBA
Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) is a subgenre of strategy video games in which two teams of players compete against each other on a predefined battlefield. Each player controls a single character with a set of distinctive abilities that im ...
''
Star Wars: Force Arena'' who provides a small energy boost and also possesses a rapid-fire attack ability.
Krennic is mentioned a few times in the final season of ''
Star Wars Rebels
''Star Wars Rebels'' is an American 3D animation, 3D animated science fiction on television, science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. It takes place over a decade after ''Episode ...
'', but did not appear in the series due to a creative decision by
Dave Filoni
David Filoni (born June 7, 1974) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and voice actor. He has worked on ''Avatar: The Last Airbender'', ''The Mandalorian'', and on the theatrical film and television series of '' Star Wars: The Clone ...
. He was written into one of the earlier drafts of the episode "A Fool's Hope", but the scene was cut early on.
''
Star Wars: Darth Vader Annual'' #2 features an appearance by Krennic which depicts his first encounter with Vader and his feud with Tarkin.
Krennic appears in
Timothy Zahn
Timothy Zahn (born September 1, 1951) is an American writer of science fiction and fantasy. He is known best for his prolific collection of ''Star Wars'' List of Star Wars books, books, chiefly the Thrawn trilogy, ''Thrawn'' series, and has publis ...
's 2019 novel ''Star Wars: Thrawn: Treason''. Set against the backdrop of the last episodes of ''Star Wars Rebels'', the novel includes an encounter between Krennic and
Grand Admiral Thrawn
Grand Admiral Thrawn (full name: Mitth'raw'nuruodo) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is notable for appearing as the eponymous character in the ''Thrawn'' trilogy of novels (1991–1993) by Timothy Zahn. Thrawn is an ...
.
Reception
Krennic has generally been received positively by critics and fans. Gareth Edwards told ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' that he liked how the character was "much more working-class" and rose to the ranks "through sheer force of personality and ideas." In ''
Sight & Sound
''Sight and Sound'' (also spelled ''Sight & Sound'') is a British monthly film magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI). It conducts the well-known, once-a-decade ''Sight and Sound'' Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time, ongoing ...
'' otherwise critical review of the film, Tim Hayes wrote, "Apart from Ben Mendelsohn's weaselly Orson Krennic ... and perhaps
Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen Chi-tan (; born 27 July 1963) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, and action director. Yen is one of Hong Kong's top action stars. Yen is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts (MMA) into the mainstream Asian cinema by cho ...
as a blind samurai ... the faces are unmemorable and the characters unexceptional". Meredith Woerner of ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' called the white cape which Krennic wears the "standout piece" of the film, writing that it "unfolds a world of menace by simply gliding over a bloody beach or whipping through the rain without ever showing even the tiniest speck of dirt."
Conversely, Joshua Starnes wrote that Krennic's failures against the Rebels and pursuit of praise do not make him "a particularly sinister or effective villain", and the film "continually weakens him as a threatening presence".
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Krennic, Orson
Fictional architects
Fictional engineers
Fictional kidnappers
Fictional mass murderers
Fictional murdered people
Film characters introduced in 2016
Film supervillains
Male film villains
Male literary villains
Star Wars Anthology characters
Star Wars literary characters