We were excited to report early in the year that Rebellion and Duncan Jones' 2000AD-inspired Rogue Trooper movie is finally becoming a reality, with principle photography complete. But it seems the animated Unreal Engine 5 feature is causing its director some worry as he works to bring the war torn world of Nu-Earth and Rogue's quest for revenge to life.
Comments on X suggest Duncan is finding animation in Unreal Engine to be a whole extra level of stress on top of regular directing. As a fan for whom 2000AD was part of my childhood, I have to say my thoughts are with him.
Jesus Christ, I thought making Warcraft was a stressful marathon... Rogue Trooper is making me SWEAT!" Duncan wrote on X this week. Responding to words of encouragement, he added: Frankly, I am doing something IN CAMERA after this!...just for my sanity."
Fans are equally excited and nervous about the upcoming movie. Co-created by artist Dave Gibbons and writer Gerry Finley-Day, 2000AD became hugely popular in the 1980s and has remained a staple of the UK comics scene. It follows Rogue, a 'genetic infantryman' fighting on Nu-Earth, in pursuit of the traitor who sold him and his comrades out; the soldier's 'buddies' personalities have been transferred into Rogue's kit - his helmet, gun and backpack are sentient.
The Rogue Trooper animated film is being produced by Rebellion and Liberty Films, and demonstrates how far the 2000AD publisher has come in recent years. Now a comic, book, video game and film producer, Rebellion is quite a success story. The movie has been filmed at dedicated film studios in Oxfordshire, and there are some A-list actors behind the Unreal Engine 5 polygons, with Aneurin Barnard (The Goldfinch, Dunkirk) playing the title role, joined by Hayley Atwell (Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One) and Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters, Good Luck To You Leo Grande).
After years of teasing, Rogue Trooper still has no firm release date but is expected to be complete next year. If you want to know more about Epic Games' engine, read our Unreal Engine 5 explainer.
