Ryan Gosling to star in new standalone Star Wars film ‘Starfighter’

Lucasfilm has officially confirmed that a new standalone Star Wars film starring Ryan Gosling is in development. The announcement was made during the Star Wars Celebration event held in Tokyo, where Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and chief creative officer Dave Filoni shared key details of the upcoming project.

Titled Star Wars: Starfighter, the film is scheduled for release in May 2027. This standalone feature will be directed by Shawn Levy, known for his work on Deadpool & Wolverine, which broke box office records upon its release in 2024. The screenplay is being written by Jonathan Tropper, who is best known for Your Friends & Neighbors.

Gosling, who made a surprise appearance at the event, addressed the crowd with enthusiasm. “Being here and seeing all of you [makes it] more inspiring to do it,” he said, as reported by Variety. “It’s such a great reminder of how much movies can mean to us, specifically how much these movies mean to us … All we can hope for is: ‘May the fans be with us.’”

Director Shawn Levy also shared his excitement for the project, highlighting the emotional connection between the filmmakers and the franchise’s loyal fan base. “We’re fans, too,” Levy said. “There’s obviously a relationship between these stories and the audience, but we’ve spent our lives in that audience. We know how meaningful it is.”

Kathleen Kennedy had previously spoken about Levy’s project in an interview with Deadline in February, hinting that the new film would be set approximately “five or six years” after the events of Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. That film marked the conclusion of the original nine-part Skywalker Saga, leaving space for new stories and characters to emerge in the Star Wars universe.

While the involvement of Ryan Gosling had been rumoured for several months, the official confirmation marks a notable shift for the franchise, which traditionally casts lesser-known actors in leading roles to prevent overshadowing the narrative. Gosling, a multiple award-winning actor with a wide-ranging filmography, brings significant star power to the project.

Oscar-winning actress Mikey Madison, recently recognised for her role in Anora, was reportedly approached for a co-starring role but declined the offer.

Alongside the Starfighter announcement, Lucasfilm also provided updates on other upcoming Star Wars projects. Attendees at the Tokyo event were shown new footage from The Mandalorian and Grogu, a feature film continuation of the popular Disney+ series. That film is due to be released in May 2026.

Additionally, Lucasfilm revealed a new animated series titled Maul: Shadow Lord, centred around the fan-favourite villain Darth Maul, first introduced in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. The series is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2026 and is expected to explore Maul’s dark journey following his appearance in the earlier films and animated spin-offs.

These announcements mark a renewed push by Lucasfilm to expand the Star Wars universe beyond the Skywalker storyline, with a mix of big-screen releases and streaming series aimed at both long-time fans and new audiences.

With Starfighter leading the charge, Ryan Gosling’s entry into the galaxy far, far away is set to bring a fresh dynamic to the franchise. As production gears up and anticipation builds, all eyes will be on Lucasfilm to deliver the next phase of the beloved sci-fi saga.