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Credit: LucasfilmThe Star Wars franchise is preparing to explore a fresh frontier beyond the Skywalker Saga, with reports revealing a new Jedi character is about to debut in the 48-year-old pop culture phenomenon.
After years of uncertainty in Lucasfilm’s big-screen plans, the studio’s movie lineup is more concrete than ever. The Mandalorian and Grogu has a theatrical debut set for May 22, 2026, with Star Wars: Starfighter ready to launch a year later in May 2027.
The former project is widely rumored to serve as a feature-length continuation of the Disney+ hit rather than a Season 4, though Lucasfilm has not officially confirmed any such pivot. It stands to reason, especially considering the busy schedule of its leading star, Pedro Pascal, that Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu will act as the final solo chapter of the Mandalorian franchise.
That said, if Dave Filoni’s Mando-Verse movie does come to fruition, it is likely that fans will see Din Djarin and Din Grogu once again.
The Journey of Shawn Levy’s Star Wars Movie
In late 2023, Levy told 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 with The Adam Project screenwriter Jonathan Tropper, the director already had a script in progress.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, this movie won’t be tied to the Skywalker-centered storyline: “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 shared.
“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.”
As The Hollywood Reporter confirmed, “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.”
The rumor mill began turning when insider @MyTimeToShineH claimed the film was “moving fast” and suggested Gosling was already on board. If confirmed, it would mark Gosling’s debut in the galaxy far, far away and kick off a new era for the saga on the big screen.
Daniel Richtman (via Comic Book Movie) added that “it may start shooting as early as this Fall in the UK.” That timeline mirrors The Hollywood Reporter’s update: “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.”
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy also offered insight during a Deadline interview, explaining how it fits into the broader continuity: “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 said.
“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.”
The speculation was put to rest when the movie was officially announced, titled, and given a release date.
Star Wars: Starfighter Officially Unveiled at Star Wars Celebration 2025
At Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo, Levy and Gosling joined Kennedy and Dave Filoni to reveal Star Wars: Starfighter, set for release on May 28, 2027.
As described by 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 continued: “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.”
While many had expected Rey to headline the post-sequel era, Starfighter shifts the focus entirely, following new characters in a period after the First Order’s defeat and Emperor Palpatine’s (Ian McDiarmid) final downfall.
Inside Starfighter’s Jedi-Padawan Storyline
A recent report suggests that Starfighter will feature the first live-action, real-time Jedi-Padawan pairing since George Lucas’s prequel trilogy. Daniel Richtman revealed: “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 wrote on Patreon (via The Direct). “The Padawan’s mother also plays an important role in the story, and there’s another major female character as well.”
With Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth already on board, it was later confirmed that Doctor Who and Morbius star Matt Smith would be joining the project as the movie’s villain. Other than this cast involvement and its timeline placement, nothing else is truly known about the direction of Shawn Levy’s Star Wars movie.
However, a new report has just dropped, adding weight to the aforementioned Jedi-Padawan/Uncle-Nephew dynamic, with Daniel Richtman once again claiming further casting has taken place for Star Wars: Starfighter.
“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 stated. “The young star will appear alongside Ryan Gosling.”
Interestingly, if Starfighter does follow through on this Jedi-Padawan storyline, it will be a shift from what fans originally expected when the Rey Skywalker “New Jedi Order” movie was announced.
Ridley’s Rey remains absent from this project’s core plot, though Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s rumored New Jedi Order film—centered on Rey rebuilding the Jedi Order—has not been canceled. Reports suggest that production is currently paused, possibly due to Starfighter’s fast-tracked development.
Obaid-Chinoy’s film could still happen, and Gosling’s Jedi storyline might even tie into Rey’s order down the line. Damon Lindelof was previously attached to a separate post-sequel script set 60 years later, with Helen Mirren rumored for an older Rey role, but that concept has seemingly stalled. Early speculation of Rey appearing in Levy’s movie now appears unlikely.
What Star Wars: Starfighter Could Explore
Longtime fans may recall the name from the 2001 LucasArts video game “Star Wars: Starfighter.” While the game takes place before Star Wars: Episode I–The Phantom Menace (1999) and is unlikely to connect directly, the premise of pilots uniting against a planetary threat could inspire thematic parallels.
Levy’s track record of heartfelt ensemble adventures in The Adam Project and Stranger Things hints at a blend of personal stakes and sweeping spectacle, while his Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) movie suggests that humor and self-awareness could be a big factor in the film.
The standalone setup offers Lucasfilm room to innovate, free from heavy reliance on existing canon, while still appealing to new and returning audiences alike.
The Road Ahead for Star Wars Films
Beyond Starfighter, Lucasfilm’s lineup remains varied. James Mangold is developing “Dawn of the Jedi,” set thousands of years before the Skywalker Saga. Dave Filoni is helming a feature tied to the Mandalorian-era storyline.
Taika Waititi’s long-discussed project appears to be on hold, with Kennedy attributing delays to his busy schedule. Rogue Squadron, once shelved, may be back in development with Patty Jenkins potentially returning.
Also in the works is a trilogy from Simon Kinberg, rumored to serve as Episodes X through XII. This trilogy will be a big departure from the Skywalker Saga, which has formed the foundation of the Star Wars franchise for almost five decades.
For now, Starfighter stands as the next chapter in the franchise’s theatrical future. With Levy directing, Gosling, Goth, and Smith starring, and filming expected to start this fall, Lucasfilm is ready to reignite Star Wars on the big screen, charting a course beyond Skywalker’s legacy.
This back-to-back Star Wars movie release may also be ushering in a new age for the streaming business. With Disney CEO Bob Iger wanting audiences back in theaters, it seems Star Wars may be following Marvel Studios in reducing its interconnected streaming titles on Disney+.
How do you feel about Star Wars potentially pursuing a new Jedi and Padawan relationship before Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker can begin leading the next wave of younglings and apprentices? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!