Credit: LucasfilmThe Star Wars galaxy is officially charting new territory outside of the Skywalker Saga, as a major development just rocked the almost five-decade-old franchise.
Starting next year, Lucasfilm will officially step back into the cinematic ring with the release of the first big-screen project since J. J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker (2019) six years ago. With a lackluster run of streaming efforts, the return of Star Wars in theaters may be the jumpstart the beloved, aging franchise needs.
Though Lucasfilm has not confirmed the exact nature of Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), the project is widely believed to be a cinematic continuation of the hit Disney+ series rather than Disney pursuing a fourth season.
With Pedro Pascal’s busy schedule in mind, many expect Jon Favreau’s film to serve as the Mandalorian saga’s closing chapter. Still, if Dave Filoni’s Mando-Verse crossover movie proceeds, both Din Djarin and Din Grogu could return to the screen once more–as could many other New Republic era characters like Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law), and Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison).
It’s been over a year since Lucasfilm announced The Mandalorian and Grogu, and while no trailer footage or a clear synopsis has surfaced, attention has already shifted to Lucasfilm’s next movie, a movie that will forever transform the legacy of George Lucas’s pop culture phenomenon.
At Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo, Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling appeared on stage with Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni to confirm Star Wars: Starfighter, scheduled to hit theaters on May 28, 2027.
According to StarWars.com, “Set approximately five years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Gosling will play a brand-new character teased by the actor’s appearance on stage.”
The announcement added: “One of several theatrical projects still in development from Lucasfilm, including films by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, James Mangold, Taika Waititi, and a new trilogy by Simon Kinberg, Levy’s film–Star Wars: Starfighter–will star Gosling and go into production starting this fall.”
Now, that moment has arrived. Lucasfilm had already confirmed the casting of Mia Goth (Pearl) and Matt Smith (Doctor Who) as the villains of Levy’s movie, but a new confirmation has seen many more names ushered into the galaxy far, far away. Joining Gosling, Goth, and Smith will be Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams.
Seemingly confirming the rumored Jedi-Padawan storyline, Flynn Gray will topline the movie with Gosling.
Instead of Rey Skywalker leading the next cinematic chapter, Starfighter takes a different route, placing new characters at the forefront in the aftermath of Emperor Palpatine’s (Ian McDiarmid) defeat and the First Order’s downfall–but it likely won’t comment too much on it.
And it is this notion that Disney and Lucasfilm are doubling (tripling) down on. Forget Lucas’s wide-spanning Skywalker Saga, the Mouse House is eager to enter a new era of Star Wars storytelling. In the press release, which confirmed that filming had begun on the movie, Disney wrote, “The film, which has begun production, is an entirely original story set in a period of time never before explored,” calling Starfighter an “all-new standalone adventure.”
In the release, Levy also shared that Kathleen Kennedy specifically desired an original tale. “From the day Kathy Kennedy called me up, inviting me to develop an original adventure in this incredible Star Wars galaxy, this experience has been a dream come true,” the Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) director said.
While The Mandalorian and Grogu is not inherently connected to the Skywalker Saga, it does have a legion of content that connects to it in the form of the New Republic era shows on Disney+. Likewise, both Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) were connected to the overarching Skywalker narrative–the former linking directly into Star Wars: Episode IV–A New Hope (1977) and the latter being an origin for one of the original trilogy’s leading heroes, Han Solo.
Inside Starfighter’s Jedi-Padawan Storyline
Prior to Flynn Gray’s casting, reports pointed to Starfighter showcasing the first live-action Jedi-Padawan relationship since George Lucas’s prequel trilogy. Daniel Richtman shared on Patreon (via The Direct): “A Jedi (played by Ryan Gosling) trains his 15-year-old nephew as his Padawan. They’re on a mission while being pursued by two villains–one male, one female,” he explained. “The Padawan’s mother also plays an important role in the story, and there’s another major female character as well.”
However, Richtman provided another update about casting: “The news of Star Wars: Starfighter‘s latest casting comes from entertainment insider Daniel Richtman’s Patreon, which revealed that the lead of Shawn Levy’s film has been found and that they are a ‘young child actor,'” The Direct reported. “The young star will appear alongside Ryan Gosling.”
Now confirmed to be accurate, this signals a departure from initial assumptions that Daisy Ridley’s Rey would headline a Jedi-centric post-sequel storyline. That said, the report of Gosling and Gray portraying a Jedi and Padawan is still not confirmed by Lucasfilm.
Given Levy’s past work on ensemble-driven stories like Stranger Things and The Adam Project, Starfighter could balance character-focused drama with large-scale spectacle. His recent Marvel film Deadpool & Wolverine also points toward a mix of action and humor.
As a standalone, the movie has the freedom to build a new corner of the galaxy without being constrained by existing Skywalker lore, while still delivering something familiar for longtime fans.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s separate New Jedi Order film, reportedly focused on Rey rebuilding the Jedi Order, has not been canceled. That project is said to be delayed, potentially due to the accelerated timeline of Starfighter.
While Obaid-Chinoy’s project could still connect in the future, there is also the case of Simon Kinberg’s trilogy, which Kathleen Kennedy said would also act as a departure from the historic Skywalker Saga.
How Starfighter Came To Be and The Road Ahead for Star Wars Films
Director Shawn Levy opened up about his involvement with a Star Wars project in late 2023, telling IndieWire: “There’s a Star Wars movie that I’m developing. You never know what’s going to become undeniable and get made next.” Working alongside The Adam Project screenwriter Jonathan Tropper, Levy already had a script underway.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that Levy’s Star Wars entry would take a new path: “It is, however, to be unconnected to the so-called Skywalker Saga, the stories centered on well-established and beloved characters Luke Skywalker and his father, Anakin,” the outlet wrote.
“It is meant to be a stand-alone movie, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Lucasfilm had no comment on any impending deal or the project’s details,” the report added.
The Hollywood Reporter later revealed a major casting update: “Ryan Gosling is headed to the great galaxy far, far away. The three-time Oscar nominee is in negotiations to topline the Star Wars feature project that will be directed by Deadpool & Wolverine filmmaker Shawn Levy.”
Rumors of Gosling’s involvement began circulating when insider @MyTimeToShineH claimed the film was “moving fast” and suggested the actor had already signed on. If confirmed, Starfighter would mark Gosling’s introduction to the saga and signal a major new direction for Lucasfilm’s theatrical plans.
Daniel Richtman (via Comic Book Movie) expanded on the potential timeline, reporting that “it may start shooting as early as this Fall in the UK.” The Hollywood Reporter backed up that possibility, adding: “If a deal makes, the project would continue to fly like the Millennium Falcon, becoming not only Levy’s next movie but also the next Star Wars movie to go into production, with cameras potentially rolling this fall.”
In an interview with Deadline, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy addressed how Levy’s film fits within the wider canon: “Shawn’s is a standalone Star Wars story that’ll take place post-nine, maybe five or six years out. And Mandalorian really stands on its own because there, we’re dealing with a whole other era in the New Republic,” she explained.
“We have other development going on in that space as well. So that’s the space that we’re pretty much focused on right at the moment because, obviously, with Mandalorian, we have a pretty good sense of where that’s going. And with this, it’s all pretty much new characters. We may bring some of the characters back from the sequel saga, but pretty much new characters.”
Lucasfilm’s broader film slate remains ambitious. James Mangold is attached to Dawn of the Jedi, which explores the earliest days of the Jedi, thousands of years before the Skywalker Saga. As aforementioned, Dave Filoni is directing a feature tied to the Mandalorian-era timeline.
Meanwhile, Taika Waititi’s film appears to be delayed due to his schedule, and Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron may be resurfacing after previously being shelved.
The back-to-back releases of The Mandalorian and Grogu in 2026 and Starfighter in 2027 may also signal a renewed focus on theatrical experiences, aligning with Disney CEO Bob Iger’s goal of prioritizing moviegoing over streaming saturation.
How do you feel about Lucasfilm prioritizing a new era of Star Wars storytelling? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments below!