The film marks director Shawn Levy’s first entry into the galaxy far, far away and arrives at a time when the franchise is looking beyond the stories that defined the Skywalker Saga.
It is scheduled to reach theaters on May 28, 2027, with Ryan Gosling leading a cast that also includes Flynn Gray, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams.
What We Know About the Next ‘Star Wars’ Film
“Star Wars: Starfighter” is set roughly five years after the events of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” but it is not being positioned as a direct continuation of that storyline. Lucasfilm executives have described the project as a largely self contained adventure centered on new characters, allowing the franchise to explore a different corner of the timeline while remaining connected to the broader “Star Wars” universe.
The road to production stretched across several years. Levy first entered discussions with Lucasfilm in 2022, though development slowed during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. Momentum returned after the strike ended, and writer Jonathan Tropper, a frequent collaborator of Levy’s, joined the project in 2024. By early 2025, Gosling had entered negotiations to star, helping move the picture to the front of Lucasfilm’s theatrical plans.
Details about the story remain limited, but several casting announcements have offered clues. Newcomer Flynn Gray is playing the nephew of Gosling’s character, while Amy Adams portrays the boy’s mother. Matt Smith and Mia Goth are set to play antagonistic figures, suggesting that the central conflict may revolve around Gosling and Gray’s characters as they are pursued across the galaxy.
Levy has emphasized that the picture is charting its own path rather than relying heavily on familiar faces or established storylines. He has described the project as an opportunity to create new worlds, creatures, technology, and characters while still maintaining the spirit audiences associate with “Star Wars.” The filmmaker has also cited “Return of the Jedi” as a major creative influence, pointing to its blend of adventure, emotion, humor, and spectacle.
Production began in the United Kingdom in August 2025 and later moved to locations in Sardinia, Italy, before wrapping that December. The movie is now deep into post-production, with editor Adam Gerstel assembling the final cut and acclaimed composer Thomas Newman crafting the score. With exactly one year remaining until release, “Starfighter” stands as the next major step in Lucasfilm’s effort to expand the franchise beyond the stories that have dominated the big screen for decades.
