While Gareth Edwards was tasked with directing Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, it's been widely reported that Tony Gilroy (who has since spearheaded Andor) was enlisted to take charge of extensive reshoots. Edwards was present for those but the movie may well have been taken out of his hands.
Whatever the case may be, we know the 2016 movie underwent some major changes, hence why scenes from the trailers - like Orson Krennic piloting a TIE Fighter in an effort to take down Jyn Erso - were absent.
Edwards stepped away from directing for a time but has since returned to Hollywood with The Creator. The sci-fi movie has received rave reviews but the subject of Rogue One has repeatedly come up while the filmmaker has been doing the rounds to promote that title.
Asked how he feels about the speculation which surrounds the Star Wars movie's additional photography, he responded, "Look, making films is very hard, right? And I got to make a film in probably the best world and story that I could ever hope to be offered. And the idea of nitpicking or complaining about some aspects of it feels very ungrateful."
"So even if I went back in time I wouldn’t do anything differently. At the end of the day people aren’t shouting at me across the street saying I ruined their childhood."
Rogue One remains one of Lucasfilm's best-received movies in the Disney era, though there's one sequence in particular - Darth Vader's rampage - which remains perhaps the biggest talking point. Edwards is aware of that and it's part of the reason he feels no ownership over the movie.
"Honestly, what I feel all the time is that it’s George’s film. Basically, everything that is in that movie that’s any good that people love is probably somehow from George Lucas in some way."
"We didn’t realize this when we were shooting it, but everyone, obviously - the thing that gets talked about the most is the Darth Vader scene at the end. And I feel zero ownership of that because it’s George’s character. George invented that corridor. He invented that character. And the lightsabers and the Rebels, do you know what I mean? And the Death Star plans."
Something tells us we'll never learn the truth behind what happened on Rogue One's set but Edwards has clearly made his peace with it. We just wouldn't necessarily bank on him ever returning to a Galaxy Far, Far Away!