Ryan Gosling steps into the Galaxy Far Far Away with Star Wars: Starfighter first look

The galaxy far, far away just got a new hero. Ryan Gosling, the Oscar-nominated actor of Barbie and Drive, enters the Star Wars universe with Star Wars: Starfighter, a daring new chapter from director Shawn Levy. The film was announced earlier this year during Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo and has promised an original story free from the Skywalker Saga, set five years after The Rise of Skywalker. 

Production began in August 2025 in the U.K., with some additional shooting in Sardinia, Italy, which sparked excitement with its unforeseen ocean setting. Lucasfilm’s first-look image, shared by Levy, shows Gosling and young co-star Flynn Gray, hinting at a gritty, survival-driven tale.

This standalone adventure, Star Wars: Starfighter is slated for release on May 28, 2027, boasts a stellar cast, including Amy Adams, Aaron Pierre, Matt Smith, and Mia Goth, with the latter two playing villains. Jonathan Tropper's penmanship of the script likened Gosling to an explorer, remarking on its "great story with original characters". The man known for Deadpool & Wolverine, Shawn Levy, echoed that directing Star Wars: Starfighter was a "dream come true", aspiring to honor the legacy of Star Wars with bravery.

Ryan Gosling shines in the galaxy with Star Wars: Starfighter

The first-look image of Ryan Gosling, posted by Levy on Instagram, shows the actor alongside Flynn Gray on a worn boat in the Mediterranean Sea. Dressed in slim, battle magic pants and a ragged jacket, Gosling's pilot has an authenticity that the franchise's heroes sometimes lack.

The image, captioned "Somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea #Starfighter," features both actors looking windblown and grungy, suggesting a survival story. Levy’s caption and the image’s raw aesthetic have fueled fan excitement.

Gosling, who is also an executive producer along with Levy, stated during the Star Wars Celebration,

"The reality is that this script is just so good."

Poe Dameron, played by the actor Oscar Isaac, shows interest to return to work with Gosling, stating to Entertainment Weekly,

"I'm ready for it" 

although his involvement is formally unconfirmed. Given that production is already underway, Gosling's brooding charisma and Levy's nimble direction promise an exhilarating, original title in the Star Wars canon through Starfighter.

Star Wars: Starfighter sees the new era for Star Wars

Star Wars: Starfighter goes against the grain by delving into an era we haven't ever witnessed in the franchise. Set sometime after The Rise of Skywalker, we follow Gosling's unnamed character, a scrappy fighter pilot, and his young companion, Gray quietly speculated to be his nephew, as they navigate dangerous waters — both literally and metaphorically.

The Mediterranean setting, a departure from desert planets like Tatooine, suggests intense, water-based action, evoking comparisons to Attack of the Clones’ Kamino. While plot details remain guarded, Lucasfilm emphasizes an “entirely original story,” with Goth and Smith’s villains hunting the young hero under Gosling’s protection. The ensemble, including Adams as a maternal figure, adds emotional depth to this high-stakes adventure.

Levy’s vision blends gritty survival with Star Wars’ signature spectacle. The film's timeline, which is the foremost in the saga, creates a new narrative space, umbilically detached from the familiar Jedi storylines of previous films in the mythology.

It is clear from Tropper's screenplay that the film will focus on characters, with Gosling's character being characterized as a "ne’er-do-well" pilot.  This is a well-done, overt reference to the elements of charming rogues associated with Han Solo, albeit with a modern twist. 

Star Wars: Starfighter will be released theatrically on May 28, 2027, across theatres globally. 

Stay tuned for more such updates!