Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards. The screenplay was written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy inspired by a story idea from John Knoll and developed by Gary Whitta. The film was produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the first installment of the Star Wars anthology series, and an immediate prequel to Star Wars (1977). The main cast consists of Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen, and Forest Whitaker. Set a week before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, the plot follows a group of rebels who band together to steal plans of the Death Star, the ultimate weapon of the Galactic Empire. It details the Rebel Alliance's first effective victory against the Empire, first referenced in the Star Wars opening crawl.

Omitting the opening crawl and transitional screen wipes used in the traditional Star Wars films, the film was intended to be different in tone and style and shot more like a war film. Principal photography began at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, in early August 2015 and wrapped in February 2016. The film then went through extensive reshoots in mid-2016. The film's score was composed by Michael Giacchino, rather than John Williams, who composed the score of all prior Skywalker Saga films up to that point. With an estimated production budget of $200–280.2 million, it is one of the most expensive films ever made.

Rogue One premiered in Los Angeles on December 10, 2016, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 16. The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise for its acting, story, visuals, musical score, cinematography, and the darker and more serious tone compared to previous Star Wars films, but criticism for its pacing, characters, and digital recreations of Grand Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia. It grossed over $1 billion worldwide, finishing its theatrical run as the second-highest-grossing film of 2016. It received two Academy Award nominations for Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects. A prequel television series, titled Andor, premiered on the streaming service Disney+ on September 21, 2022.