A new Jedi is set to step into the spotlight as the Star Wars franchise prepares to leave the Skywalker lineage behind. Nearly 50 years after George Lucas’ original film hit theaters, Lucasfilm is launching a fresh era on the big screen.
After an extended period of shifting release plans, the studio’s schedule now has firm dates. The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives May 22, 2026, followed by Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter on May 28, 2027.
While not confirmed, the first title is widely believed to serve as a cinematic conclusion to Din Djarin’s story rather than another streaming season. With Pedro Pascal juggling multiple high-profile projects, Jon Favreau’s feature could stand as the Mandalorian saga’s farewell—unless Dave Filoni’s planned ensemble movie brings the helmeted hero back.
In late 2023, Levy spoke to IndieWire about his Star Wars ambitions: “There’s a Star Wars movie that I’m developing. You never know what’s going to become undeniable and get made next.” Working with The Adam Project’s Jonathan Tropper, the director was already deep into script work.
The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the project will break from tradition: “It is, however, to be unconnected to the so-called Skywalker Saga, the stories centered on well-established and beloved characters Luke Skywalker and his father, Anakin,” the outlet said.
“It is meant to be a stand-alone movie, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Lucasfilm had no comment on any impending deal or the project’s details.”
Then came the casting buzz. “Ryan Gosling is headed to the great galaxy far, far away. The three-time Oscar nominee is in negotiations to topline the Star Wars feature project that will be directed by Deadpool & Wolverine filmmaker Shawn Levy,” THR reported.
Speculation ramped up when @MyTimeToShineH hinted the film was “moving fast.” If the reports prove accurate, this would mark Gosling’s first foray into the franchise.
Daniel Richtman told Comic Book Movie that “it may start shooting as early as this Fall in the UK.” THR similarly stated: “If a deal makes, the project would continue to fly like the Millennium Falcon, becoming not only Levy’s next movie but also the next Star Wars movie to go into production, with cameras potentially rolling this fall.”
During a Deadline interview, Kennedy confirmed where it lands in the timeline: “Shawn’s is a standalone Star Wars story that’ll take place post-nine, maybe five or six years out. And Mandalorian really stands on its own because there, we’re dealing with a whole other era in the New Republic,” she said.
“We have other development going on in that space as well. So that’s the space that we’re pretty much focused on right at the moment because, obviously, with Mandalorian, we have a pretty good sense of where that’s going. And with this, it’s all pretty much new characters. We may bring some of the characters back from the sequel saga, but pretty much new characters.”
The official reveal came at one of the franchise’s biggest events.
At Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo, Levy and Gosling joined Kennedy and Filoni to confirm Star Wars: Starfighter for a May 28, 2027 release.
Per StarWars.com: “Set approximately five years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Gosling will play a brand-new character teased by the actor’s appearance on stage.”
The announcement continued: “One of several theatrical projects still in development from Lucasfilm, including films by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, James Mangold, Taika Waititi, and a new trilogy by Simon Kinberg, Levy’s film–Star Wars: Starfighter–will star Gosling and go into production starting this fall.”
According to Richtman (via The Direct), “A Jedi (played by Ryan Gosling) trains his 15-year-old nephew as his Padawan. They’re on a mission while being pursued by two villains–one male, one female. The Padawan’s mother also plays an important role in the story, and there’s another major female character as well.”
Mia Goth co-stars, and Matt Smith will portray the film’s antagonist. Most other plot details remain under wraps.
Richtman has since reported that the young Padawan role is cast: “The news of Star Wars: Starfighter‘s latest casting comes from entertainment insider Daniel Richtman’s Patreon, which revealed that the lead of Shawn Levy’s film has been found and that they are a ‘young child actor,'” The Direct relayed. “The young star will appear alongside Ryan Gosling.”
This direction sets it apart from Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey-led project, which is reportedly paused despite not being scrapped.
Though the title echoes the 2001 LucasArts game, the film’s story takes place decades later. Still, its title could nod to the game’s themes of teamwork and high-stakes missions.
Levy’s mix of heartfelt character work in The Adam Project and Stranger Things with his blockbuster credentials from Deadpool & Wolverine suggests Starfighter could combine epic spectacle with intimate storytelling.
Looking ahead, Lucasfilm has James Mangold’s “Dawn of the Jedi” on the slate, Filoni’s Mandalorian-era crossover, and potentially Patty Jenkins’ revived Rogue Squadron. Simon Kinberg is also working on a rumored Episode X–XII trilogy.
For now, Starfighter is leading the charge for the franchise’s theatrical revival. With cameras set to roll this fall and a cast headlined by Gosling, Goth, and Smith, Lucasfilm is ready to take audiences into a new chapter of galactic history—one not defined by the Skywalker name.
How do you feel about this potential new Jedi character arriving in the Star Wars franchise? Let us know in the comments down below!
