Ryan Gosling is set to star in Star Wars: Starfighter, a newly announced film from Lucasfilm that will launch a fresh storyline within the franchise. The news was confirmed during the Star Wars Celebration event in Japan, where Gosling made a surprise appearance alongside director Shawn Levy, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni.
The film, scheduled for release on May 28, 2027, is described as a separate narrative from the Skywalker saga. It will be set in a previously unexplored era, taking place several years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Director Shawn Levy emphasized the film’s direction during the panel. “This is not a prequel, this is not a sequel. It’s a new adventure,” he said. He added that production is expected to begin in the fall.
While Lucasfilm has not released details about the storyline or characters, the project is expected to focus on new figures within the Star Wars universe. Gosling did not elaborate on his role but expressed enthusiasm for the material and the creative team. “This script is so good,” he said. “There just really is not a more perfect filmmaker for this particular story than Shawn.”
Gosling also shared a childhood photo of himself with Star Wars-themed bed sheets, underscoring his long-running connection to the franchise. “Being here and seeing all of you [makes it] more inspiring to do it,” he told fans at the event. “It’s such a great reminder of how much movies can mean to us, specifically how much these movies mean to us.”
Starfighter joins a slate of films currently in development at Lucasfilm. Other titles include Dawn of the Jedi, a New Jedi Order film starring Daisy Ridley, an untitled project from Taika Waititi, and a planned trilogy from Simon Kinberg.
