suggested order - Should I read 'Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel' before going to see Star Wars: Rogue One?

I have acquired a copy of Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel (in a game of chance) and I'm due to see Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on opening weekend.

Has there been any specific advice offered (by Disney) as to whether or not I should read Catalyst before going to see the Rogue One movie?

Answer

It doesn't seem to be really required

There are some conflicting opinions on whether or not it's strictly necessary to read Catalyst before seeing the film; James Luceno, the author of Catalyst, says in an interview with StarWars.com that he sees the book as a companion to the film, suggesting that it isn't necessary background material:

I do want to stress that Rogue One does tell the story, so I think of this book as a companion piece. This book does not set up or lead directly into the movie, but gives a much more complete picture of the relationships and how far back these relationships go, and who these characters become over the years.

However Jennifer Heddle, a senior fiction editor at Lucasfilm, wrote a piece on StarWars.com extolling why you should read the book first:

These reasons and more are why no fan should go into Rogue One without having read Catalyst first — it will greatly enhance your experience of what is sure to already be a fantastic film.

Her article lists some of the things that Catalyst sets up about Rogue One, which is mainly about the deeper relationships between assorted characters (something Luceno also mentions in the interview above). Whether or not you want to read the book first depends on how important you think those aspects are.