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Credit: LucasfilmThe Star Wars franchise is gearing up for a new era. Nearly five decades after George Lucas introduced the saga, Lucasfilm is ready to steer the galaxy to uncharted territory, this time beyond the Skywalker legacy.
Star Wars returns to theaters next year for the first time since J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Following several years of streaming-focused projects, the theatrical comeback is set to reestablish the franchise’s cinematic presence. That begins with Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu, coming in 2026 and centered on Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Din Grogu.
But attention quickly turned to what lies beyond. At Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo, Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni were joined by Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling to unveil Star Wars: Starfighter, arriving 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 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.”
The cast now includes Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, Amy Adams, alongside the previously confirmed Mia Goth and Matt Smith. The most surprising addition is Flynn Gray, whose co-lead role has sparked theories of a Jedi-Padawan narrative.
Starfighter moves away from Rey Skywalker and the Skywalker family entirely, building a post-First Order galaxy filled with new heroes and threats. As Lucasfilm notes, it’s “an entirely original story set in a period of time never before explored” and “an all-new standalone adventure.”
Shawn Levy reflected on being chosen for the film: “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,” said the Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) filmmaker.
Is Starfighter the Start of a New Trilogy or a True Standalone?
Rumors suggest the film may not be a standalone after all. Insider reports claim Starfighter could serve as the foundation for a trilogy, potentially featuring a cameo that ties future storylines together. According to @MyTimeToShineH (via SFFGazette), Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker may appear as a connective thread to her delayed Jedi Order film.
Reported story elements include a young boy discovering his Force sensitivity under the protection of his mother, believed to be Amy Adams’ character, a Jedi. His journey could lead him toward Rey, linking Starfighter to Obaid-Chinoy’s New Jedi Order project.
With Ryan Gosling starring and Shawn Levy directing from a script by Jonathan Tropper, anticipation is already high. A trilogy launch—or even a major cameo—could establish the film as a centerpiece in Lucasfilm’s future plans.
Shawn Levy addressed fan speculation in an interview with Collider, stating that Starfighter exists in its own lane: “Well, for one thing, it is different in that it is an all-new non-sequel, non-prequel adventure. It’s new characters, it’s a new timeline. It inherits legacy themes, but it’s really trying to give Star Wars [fans]–and just movie audiences–something fresh, something new,” he said.
He continued, “And with a spirit of play and big-hearted adventure with moments of real levity that, frankly, A New Hope had in a revolutionary way.”
Levy also praised his crew and star: “My crew, my DP, Claudio Miranda, Gosling is my kind of central collaborator in the lead role. It’s certainly been a dream come true. My 10-year-old self is on set with me every day,” he said.
“In fact, he’s going to catch a flight tonight to go back to the set and keep shooting on Monday. But it’s a huge, invigorating opportunity because Lucasfilm has been so encouraging of me doing something new.” He concluded: “There’s no pressure to be derivative or limited by an obligation to what came before. There’s just a love of what came before.”
Levy has continued to confirm his stance on this new Star Wars era, focusing on an entirely new cast of characters.
“Every time I’ve asked, ‘Should I use this character that was maybe in that movie?’ Every time it’s, ‘You know what? People have seen that. Do something new,'” the Deadpool & Wolverine director told The Playlist.
“There is no mandate or interference other than the constant encouragement, ‘Make this new.’ And that’s the truth,” he continued. “Unlike Solo… unlike Rise of Skywalker, which was a sequel to two other movies and ultimately a ninth film in the Skywalker saga, Starfighter is all new characters based on new ideas that Jonathan and I cooked up alone and together.”
With The Mandalorian and Grogu launching next year and Starfighter dropping in 2027, it seems Star Wars is firmly entering a new era–one based on individual stories as opposed to larger narratives featuring legacy characters.
How do you feel about this next chapter of the Star Wars franchise? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!