Ryan Gosling to lead ‘Starfighter’ Star Wars spinoff in 2027

Canadian actor Ryan Gosling performs “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie” onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on 10 March 2024.Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

The Oscar-nominated actor has officially been cast as the lead in Star Wars: Starfighter, an upcoming standalone film set five years after the events of 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. The project marks a fresh chapter in the ever-expanding Star Wars universe, introducing new characters and stories unconnected to the Skywalker saga.

Filmmaker Shawn Levy, best known for directing Free Guy, Night at the Museum, and Deadpool & Wolverine, will helm the project. Levy confirmed the long-rumored casting during the opening of this year’s Star Wars Celebration in Japan, joining Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Star Wars creative chief Dave Filoni onstage.

“This is a completely new story. It’s not a sequel or prequel — it’s something audiences haven’t seen before,” Levy said. He’s been developing the film alongside screenwriter Jonathan Tropper for the past three years. The duo previously worked together on The Adam Project and This Is Where I Leave You.

Gosling expressed his enthusiasm for the role, sharing that the script immediately drew him in. “The story is original, full of heart, and filled with adventure,” he said. “Shawn is the perfect director for something this ambitious.”

The actor also leaned into the fanfare at the event, donning a cap featuring Han Solo’s iconic line, “Never tell me the odds.” During the panel, a childhood photo — sent in by Gosling’s mother — showing his Star Wars-themed bedsheets was projected onscreen, prompting laughter from the crowd. Gosling joked, “I guess I was dreaming about Star Wars before I even saw it. It’s probably what shaped how I thought movies should feel.” — Carl Magadia