Gilroy started on Rogue One in June, and by August, he was taking a leading role with Edwards in postproduction, which lasted well into the fall. The reshoots are said to have tackled several issues in the film, including the ending.

Rogue One, the first "stand-alone" Star Wars movie to deviate from the seven Episodes released from 1977 through 2015, is said to lead straight into the original A New Hope. Separate stand-alone films are planned in alternating years from Episodes, with a Han Solo movie scheduled for 2018 after Episode VIII hits theaters next December.

While the cost of extending Gilroy's work on Rogue One might seem on the high side, that price is a bargain to protect the integrity of the Star Wars brand. Disney paid $4 billion in 2012 to buy Star Wars creator George Lucas' Lucasfilm and its first film after the deal, the JJ Abrams-directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens, made more than $2 billion and jump-started a whole new generation of Star Wars fans.

Disney and Gilroy’s CAA reps declined to comment.

A version of this story first appeared in the Dec. 9 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.