While promoting the release of Hannibal: Season 3 on Blu-ray, Mads Mikkelsen briefly spoke with IGN about his role in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Read on for the highlights…

From IGN:

IGN: I know better than to try and get anything out of you plotwise about Rogue One, but the minimal imagery we’ve seen from Rogue One looks a bit different from what we traditionally think of for Star Wars. Does it seem like they’re going in a bit of a different direction, as far as tone?

Mikkelsen: I believe that is true to a degree. It’s still the Star Wars universe, but there is… There might be a personal take on that from Gareth [Edwards], as well. And it should be like that, right? And tomorrow you will find me dead in a river somewhere because I said that.

IGN: [Laughs] Is it strange and surreal to realize you’re in Star Wars, given what it is and how big it is?

Mikkelsen: It is a big thing, but so was Hannibal and so was Bond. The thing is, we don’t go to change the “thing” about it. We address it as a job. We focus on the character and start working.

We also are aware that it’s the Star Wars universe. We are aware. But that hat, we can’t wear all the time. We have to focus on each individual scene. So I think this is one of these things that will dawn on you later when you actually see the film. In the midst of it, it’s a different thing.