Ryan Gosling is taking his galaxy-sized childhood dream to the big screen, as he prepares to star in an upcoming Star Wars film titled Star Wars: Starfighter.
Slated for release on May 7, 2027, this new Disney production will be directed by Shawn Levy, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Deadpool & Wolverine.
The announcement was made during the Star Wars Celebration event in Tokyo, where Gosling shared his excitement about the role and reflected on how deeply rooted his connection to the franchise has always been.
“The reality is that this script is just so good,” Gosling told the crowd with visible enthusiasm. “It has such a great story with great and original characters.”
He didn’t hide his admiration for the director either, adding, “It’s filled with so much heart and adventure, and there just really is not a more perfect filmmaker for this particular story than Shawn.”
The actor, whose recent performance as Ken in Barbie earned him an Oscar nomination, appeared genuinely thrilled to be part of this new chapter in the iconic Star Wars universe.
During the Tokyo event, organizers screened a nostalgic photo of Gosling’s childhood bedroom, complete with Star Wars bedsheets—an image that brought both laughter and warm applause from the audience.
“You can see from the picture, I guess I was probably dreaming about Star Wars before I even saw the film,” he said, smiling. He went on to add, “And it’s probably framed my idea of what a movie even was,” underscoring just how influential the franchise has been on his cinematic journey.
Star Wars: Starfighter is not a continuation of the Skywalker saga or a prequel to any existing storyline. Instead, it’s a standalone feature set approximately five years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Details remain under wraps, but according to the official Star Wars website, Gosling will portray an entirely new character in a story that steps away from familiar timelines. “It’s not a prequel, not a sequel, it’s a new adventure,” director Levy said. “It’s set in a period of time that we haven’t seen explored yet.”
This approach marks a bold narrative shift for the Star Wars franchise, which has spent much of the past decade revisiting legacy characters and interwoven timelines.
Fans can expect a fresh galaxy of storytelling, with Gosling at the center of it all. Given Levy’s reputation for combining humor, depth, and high-octane action—and Gosling’s ability to bring both charm and gravitas to his roles—Starfighter is already being buzzed about as a potential standout in the franchise’s future.
While Gosling gears up for his galactic debut, The Mandalorian and Grogu is expected to hit theaters first, continuing the story of Pedro Pascal’s bounty hunter under the direction of Jon Favreau.
For now, though, anticipation for Starfighter is soaring, fueled by the promise of a new frontier in the Star Wars saga and the passionate involvement of a lifelong fan who has finally found himself on the other side of the screen.
