Who would have thought that a simple coffee order could shape a planet in a galaxy far, far away? That’s exactly what happened to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards. He recently told a funny story about how one of the most famous places in the film got its name.
The popular 2016 Star Wars spin-off introduced fans to the tropical planet Scarif, which played a crucial role in the Rebel Alliance’s bold mission to steal the Death Star plans. The interesting thing is: the name of this famous place didn’t come from a lot of brainstorming, it actually came from a simple visit to Starbucks.
Scarif’s Name Came from a Coffee Cup
While working on the busy production of Rogue One, screenwriter Gary Whitta was having trouble naming the film’s important final location. In need of ideas, he turned to director Gareth Edwards for help.
Recently, the official Star Wars X account shared a clip on social media where Edwards explained how they named the planet Scarif. The Godzilla filmmaker is seen saying:
After naming like the 50th thing and trying to come up with a unique name, he was getting a little bit bored and wanted to share this problem, and he was like, ‘Okay, you’ve got to name the end planet.’ And I was like, ‘Okay this is a big deal.’
Check out the full quote below:
brb getting coffee on Scarif#RogueOne now streaming on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/VbpMm0AQSm
— Star Wars (@starwars) July 26, 2023
Little did Whitta know, a cosmic name was about to be brewed. The 49-year-old stepped out to get a coffee, and when the barista asked for his name, he said “Gareth.” To his surprise, the barista wrote “Scarif” on the cup.
The barista had no idea how big their mistake was. When Edwards saw “Scarif” on his coffee cup, he rushed back to the screenwriter and said, “Let’s name the planet Scarif.” And just like that, the planet got its name.
Gareth Edwards Delighted by Chance to Name Star Wars Places
The story is a perfect example of how creativity can strike in the most unexpected places. Gareth Edwards himself shared his excitement about the chance to name something in the Star Wars universe. The British film director said:
When you’re a kid and you dream about making a Star Wars film, one of the amazing things that could happen if you got lucky enough to do that would be to name characters or name something in the movie.
The name Scarif has since become synonymous with the Rebel Alliance’s audacious victory and is a beloved location in the Star Wars expanded universe.
Watch Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on Disney+.
Frequently asked questions
How did the planet Scarif get its name in Rogue One?
According to director Gareth Edwards, screenwriter Gary Whitta asked him to help name the film’s final planet after struggling through dozens of other options. Edwards has said Whitta was “getting a little bit bored” after naming roughly 50 things. While Edwards was out getting coffee, he gave his name, Gareth, to the barista, who misheard it and wrote “Scarif” on the cup. Edwards liked the misspelling so much he went back and suggested using it as the planet’s name.
Who came up with the idea to name the planet after the coffee cup mistake?
Director Gareth Edwards is the one who spotted the barista’s error and pushed for it to become canon. Screenwriter Gary Whitta had asked Edwards to name the mission’s climactic planet, and after seeing “Scarif” written where his name should have been, Edwards brought the cup back to Whitta and told him that would be the planet’s name.
What role does Scarif play in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story?
Scarif is the tropical planet featured in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story where the Rebel Alliance carries out its daring mission to steal the plans for the Death Star. The location serves as the film’s climactic setting and has since become closely associated with the Rebellion’s pivotal victory within the broader Star Wars universe.
