At Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo, Japan, Lucasfilm dropped a galactic bombshell: a new theatrical release, Star Wars: Starfighter, is set to hit theaters exclusively on May 28, 2027. Directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, this standalone adventure promises to explore uncharted territory in the Star Wars universe, set five years after 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. Here’s everything we know about this exciting project, straight from Lucasfilm’s announcement.
A New Chapter in the Galaxy
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni unveiled Star Wars: Starfighter on April 17, 2025, during the first day of Star Wars Celebration. The film, penned by Jonathan Tropper, is described as a “standalone adventure” featuring all-new characters in a timeline never explored on screen. Set roughly five years post-Rise of Skywalker, it dives into a post-Skywalker Saga era, free from legacy characters or planets, offering a fresh narrative. Production is slated to begin this fall, aligning with the Memorial Day 2027 release.
Shawn Levy at the Helm
Shawn Levy, riding high off the $1.3 billion success of Deadpool & Wolverine, directs Starfighter. Known for Stranger Things, Free Guy, and The Adam Project, Levy brings a knack for blending heart, humor, and spectacle. “This is not a prequel, not a sequel. It’s a new adventure,” Levy said at Celebration, per Deadline. His vision, crafted over two years with Tropper, aims to capture Star Wars’ fun while forging a bold path, possibly centered on starfighter pilots given the title’s hint.
Ryan Gosling’s Star Power
Ryan Gosling, an Oscar and Golden Globe nominee for Barbie, La La Land, and Half Nelson, leads as a brand-new character. His casting, a rarity for Star Wars’s typically less starry leads, was envisioned by Levy from the project’s start in 2022, per Kathleen Kennedy’s interview with ScreenRant. Gosling, a lifelong fan, shared a touching moment at Celebration when his childhood Star Wars bedsheets were displayed, saying, “The force is the fans,” per Variety. He praised the script’s “heart and adventure” and Levy’s fit as its director.
Story and Setting
Starfighter is set in a post-Rise of Skywalker galaxy, about 40 years after 1977’s A New Hope, making it the furthest chronological leap for a Star Wars film. Levy emphasized its standalone nature, not tied to the Skywalker Saga, with “all-new characters” and unexplored worlds, per StarWars.com. The title suggests a focus on aerial combat or elite pilots, possibly echoing the canceled Rogue Squadron. Rumors from World of Reel hint at Gosling playing a Jedi training his teenage nephew, pursued by two villains, but Lucasfilm hasn’t confirmed this.
Context in the Star Wars Universe
Starfighter follows The Mandalorian & Grogu (May 22, 2026) as the second Star Wars film since Rise of Skywalker. Other projects, like Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey film, James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi, and Simon Kinberg’s trilogy, remain in development without firm dates. Its May 28, 2027, slot—three weeks after Avengers: Secret Wars—is bold, echoing 2018’s Solo and Infinity War clash, where Solo underperformed. Still, Starfighter’s fresh story and star power could make it a Memorial Day hit, especially near the franchise’s 50th anniversary (May 25, 1977).
Fan Buzz and Expectations
The announcement sparked fervor at Celebration, with Gosling and Levy’s onstage chemistry fueling hype. Posts on X, like those from @starwars, highlight the excitement, with fans noting the “unprecedented” vibe of Gosling’s casting. Some express caution, given past Star Wars delays, but the confirmed date and fall production start signal momentum. Levy’s promise of a fan-driven story, per Collider, and Gosling’s nod to the fans’ “force” suggest a love letter to the galaxy far, far away.
What’s Next
With production starting fall 2025, more casting—like Greta Lee, per rumors—and plot details may emerge soon. Starfighter’s $200-$250 million budget (estimated based on Levy’s scale) will demand strong box office returns, likely aiming for $800 million to $1 billion, akin to Rogue One ($1.06B). As Lucasfilm rebuilds its theatrical slate post-2019, Starfighter could redefine Star Wars for a new era, blending Levy’s crowd-pleasing style with Gosling’s charisma. May 28, 2027, can’t come soon enough.
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