In news that somehow feels both completely out of nowhere and also like something we all manifested in a fever dream, it has officially been confirmed that Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine, Free Guy, That One Thing You Liked) is directing a Star Wars movie titled Star Wars: Starfighter — and it will star none other than Ryan Gosling. That’s right. Ken from Barbie is now blasting off into a galaxy far, far away. Your move, Mattel Cinematic Universe.
Ryan Gosling, star of the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter, makes his Star Wars Celebration debut. pic.twitter.com/CeZtI36QhO
— Star Wars (@starwars) April 18, 2025
The announcement came straight out of Star Wars Celebration Tokyo, because apparently all important news now comes exclusively from countries where it’s already tomorrow. According to Levy himself, the film will hit theaters May 28th, 2027, and is set five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker — you know, that movie no one admits to liking, even though we all definitely saw it in theaters and cried a little when Chewie got his medal.
But don’t worry — Levy clarified that Starfighter is not a sequel, not a prequel, but a totally new adventure. Translation: they are trying very hard to make you forget about Palpatine’s clone gym bros, Rey Skywalker’s awkward family tree, and whatever the hell Finn’s Force subplot was supposed to be. It’s like Top Gun in space, except hopefully with fewer shirtless beach sports and more emotionally conflicted lightsaber duels.
Ryan Gosling’s role hasn’t been detailed, but he will presumably play the titular “Starfighter,” or maybe just a guy who flies one. Either way, we’re fully expecting a quiet, brooding man with a heart of gold who looks unreasonably good in a flight suit and probably has one tragic backstory too many.
Of course, this isn’t the only Star Wars project in the pipeline. There’s also The Mandalorian & Grogu, a feature film due May 22, 2026, which sees Pedro Pascal’s helmet-wearing space dad and his lil’ green spaghetti-eating son go on another galactic adventure that’s totally different but also somehow exactly the same as all the others.
Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jon Favreau and a few special friends came together to celebrate The Mandalorian and Grogu during Star Wars Celebration Japan.
The Mandalorian and Grogu comes to theaters May 22, 2026. pic.twitter.com/DjJrV8laMw
— Star Wars (@starwars) April 18, 2025
There’s also a new trilogy being written by Simon Kinberg, which, let’s be real, we’re already preparing to hate because the guy has a track record that makes Jar Jar Binks look like an emotionally nuanced character arc. And yes, Daisy Ridley will return as Rey Skywalker in a follow-up movie to the Sequel Trilogy, because Disney knows you’ll keep paying to see her try to rebuild the Jedi while you constantly fight the urge to yell, “Why did she have to take the Skywalker name again?” from your theater seat.
Oh, and there are animated shows, spin-offs, and probably a whole new line of Grogu-shaped kitchen appliances coming your way too. For the full rundown, head over to StarWars.com and start emotionally preparing your wallet.
So to recap: Ryan Gosling is in a Star Wars movie. It’s called Starfighter. It takes place after the movie you regret defending on Twitter. And it’s coming in 2027, which means we all have just enough time to become cautiously optimistic before the cycle of hype and disappointment repeats itself again.
Star Wars is back, baby. We hope.
