Oscar-nominated actor Ryan Gosling is formally entering the Star Wars universe. Lucasfilm announced that Gosling will star in Star Wars: Starfighter, a brand-new standalone film in the legendary sci-fi franchise. Directed by Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy, the film will open on May 28, 2027, with filming set to commence this fall.
The news broke during Lucasfilm’s annual Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo on April 18, where Gosling and Levy were joined by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and chief creative officer Dave Filoni. The audience went wild as Gosling took the stage sporting a hat reading, “Never tell me the odds.”
“Being here and seeing all of you is more inspiring than ever,” Ryan Gosling said to the rapturous crowd. “There’s so much creativity and love in this room. The force is a mysterious thing, but today, it feels like the force is the fans.”
Levy, a fan favorite of projects and blockbuster successes, also addressed the privilege of working on the Star Wars franchise. “We’re fans too. We’ve grown up with these stories, and we know how meaningful they are,” he said.
New Storyline, New Era
Star Wars: Starfighter takes place five years following the action of The Rise of Skywalker, making it the next installment in the saga chronologically. Though details on the plot are not yet disclosed, the movie will introduce new characters and a new story, and look to continue to open up the galaxy even more. Casting outside of Gosling has yet to be announced.
This represents Gosling’s most ambitious franchise part yet, following on from his critically acclaimed roles in Blade Runner 2049 and the worldwide smash hit Barbie. Starfighter marks the latest success for Levy after Deadpool & Wolverine, which broke R-rated box office records in 2024 with its global box office of over $1.3 billion.
Fans eagerly wait now for the next developments as Starfighter is set to take off, and Ryan Gosling becomes the newest star to join the Force.
