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Credit: LucasfilmFor nearly five decades, the Star Wars franchise has revolved around the Skywalker family.
From George Lucas’ original trilogy through Disney’s sequel films, the galaxy far, far away has remained closely tied to one iconic bloodline. Now, Lucasfilm is preparing to take the franchise in an entirely different direction.
The series returned to theaters in May 2026 with its first feature film since Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019), ending a lengthy stretch in which Disney+ became the primary home for new live-action stories. That theatrical comeback began with Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu, which arrived on May 22, 2026, and reunited audiences with Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu.
With The Mandalorian and Grogu performing lukewarmly at the global box office and questions about Disney’s plans for a solid theatrical future for the franchise surfacing, attention has already shifted to the film arriving a year later.
During Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo, Lucasfilm unveiled Star Wars: Starfighter, introducing director Shawn Levy alongside star Ryan Gosling. The new feature is scheduled to premiere on May 28, 2027, and represents one of Lucasfilm’s boldest creative swings since Disney acquired the studio.
According to StarWars.com, the story takes place roughly five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker, with Gosling portraying an entirely original character rather than an established figure from the saga.
Lucasfilm described the project as “an entirely original story set in a period of time never before explored,” adding that it will be “an all-new standalone adventure.”
The studio also confirmed that Starfighter joins several other theatrical projects currently in development, including films from Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, James Mangold, Taika Waititi, and a new trilogy from Simon Kinberg.
A Growing Cast and Fresh Characters
The ensemble surrounding Gosling continues to expand. Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams have all joined the production alongside previously announced cast members Mia Goth and Matt Smith.
One addition drawing particular attention is Flynn Gray, who is playing a co-lead role. Early speculation has suggested the film could feature a mentor-and-apprentice relationship involving Force-sensitive characters, though Lucasfilm has yet to confirm story details.
Unlike previous theatrical releases, Starfighter deliberately distances itself from the Skywalker legacy. Rather than revisiting established heroes such as Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker, the film introduces an entirely new group of protagonists navigating a galaxy still recovering after the fall of the First Order.
Rumors About a Bigger Story Continue
Despite Lucasfilm repeatedly describing Starfighter as a standalone adventure, speculation surrounding its long-term role within the franchise has persisted.
One rumor suggested Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker might make a brief appearance to connect the film with the long-awaited New Jedi Order project. Other reports claimed the story revolves around a Force-sensitive child traveling with his mother—believed to be portrayed by Amy Adams—who may herself be a Jedi. In that version of the story, the pair could eventually cross paths with Rey as she rebuilds the Jedi Order.
However, those reports have largely been dismissed, reinforcing Lucasfilm’s message that Starfighter is intended to function independently rather than as the beginning of another interconnected saga.
New Details Have Been Reported
A new online report claims to reveal additional story and character details from the film, although none have been verified by the studio.
According to a series of posts from MakingStarWars.net, Star Wars: Starfighter centers on Ryan Gosling’s character, Cade, who is described as a Han Solo-style rogue rather than a Jedi. The outlet claims Cade shares a close connection with the father of Flynn Gray’s character—whose name reportedly sounds like “Rone” or “Ronin”—and is tasked with escorting the boy to a hidden Jedi refuge or academy on the lush planet Adaria.
Earlier reports suggested Amy Adams plays the child’s mother, with some of those story elements reportedly remaining in the final script. The site also notes that Flynn Gray is using an American accent in the film and that Gosling and the young actor reportedly share strong on-screen chemistry. Another intriguing detail claims Cade wears a necklace that could play an important role in the story.
The posts also provide new details about Adaria, describing it as a green, East Asian-inspired world filled with fountains, dense vegetation, and tiki-style structures supported by large mechanical struts. According to the reports, the Jedi living there appear to be Padawans wearing traditional beige robes reminiscent of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I–The Phantom Menace.
MakingStarWars.net further claims Aaron Pierre’s character has ties to the Jedi sanctuary and is involved in a lightsaber duel with Mia Goth on the planet. The outlet also alleges that Eva Mendes portrays Belle, a glamorous 650-year-old cantina owner dressed in gold attire. As with all unofficial reports, none of these details have been confirmed by Lucasfilm.
Shawn Levy Promises Something Entirely Different
Levy has consistently emphasized that originality has guided every stage of development.
Speaking with Collider, the director explained: “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 added: “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 collaboration with Gosling and Academy Award-winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda, saying: “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 continued: “…it’s a huge, invigorating opportunity because Lucasfilm has been so encouraging of me doing something new.” Levy concluded by saying that “there’s no pressure to be derivative or limited by an obligation to what came before,” and that “there’s just a love of what came before.”
Lucasfilm Has Encouraged Originality
The filmmaker later expanded on that creative freedom during an interview with The Playlist, revealing that Lucasfilm actively discouraged relying on familiar characters simply for nostalgia.
“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,'” he said. “There is no mandate or interference other than the constant encouragement, ‘Make this new.’ And that’s the truth.”
Levy also contrasted Starfighter with previous Disney-era releases: “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.”
A New Beginning for Star Wars
Since Disney purchased Lucasfilm, every theatrical release has remained closely connected to existing stories. The sequel trilogy continued the Skywalker Saga, Rogue One (2016) directly led into A New Hope (1977), and Solo (2018) explored the origins of one of the franchise’s most recognizable heroes. Even The Mandalorian and Grogu builds directly upon three seasons of the Disney+ series.
Star Wars: Starfighter, by contrast, represents something the modern era of Star Wars has yet to attempt: a completely original theatrical adventure with new characters, a new corner of the timeline, and no direct dependence on previous films.
Whether it ultimately remains a standalone story or becomes the foundation for Lucasfilm’s next generation of storytelling, Starfighter appears poised to usher the franchise into a genuinely new chapter.
What are your thoughts on this new chapter for the Star Wars franchise? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!
