The biggest highlight from Star Wars Celebration 2025 was the announcement that Deadpool & Wolverine’s Shawn Levy will be directing Star Wars: Starfighter, a new standalone live-action film featuring Ryan Gosling. Set to hit theaters on May 28, 2027, Starfighter will follow the release of 2026's The Mandalorian and Grogu and will begin production this fall. This film is set approximately five years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, making it the furthest point on the Star Wars timeline explored in any movie or series to date.
While details about the plot of Starfighter are scarce, we do know it's set in a relatively uncharted period of Star Wars lore. Given its timeline, it's positioned to explore the aftermath of The Rise of Skywalker and the state of the galaxy in its wake. Let's delve into the potential narratives and questions that Starfighter might address.
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The Star Wars: Starfighter Games
It's worth noting that Star Wars: Starfighter shares its name with a series of video games from the early 2000s. The original Star Wars: Starfighter (2001) and its sequel, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter (2002), were set during the prequel era. While the new movie shares the name, it's unlikely to draw heavily from the games' plots, given its setting decades later. However, it could incorporate elements like the ship-to-ship combat seen in Jedi Starfighter, which introduced Force powers into space battles. This could add an exciting twist to the film's action sequences, especially if Gosling's character is a Jedi pilot.
The Fate of the New Republic
The Rise of Skywalker ends with the defeat of Emperor Palpatine, but leaves the state of the New Republic ambiguous. The Sequel Trilogy showed the New Republic struggling after the destruction of Hosnian Prime, with most focus on the conflict between the Resistance and the First Order. Starfighter could explore the New Republic's efforts to rebuild and the internal conflicts between Populists and Centrists, as seen in Star Wars: Bloodline. Additionally, the film might address whether remnants of the First Order still linger, potentially rallying around a new leader in the power vacuum left by Kylo Ren's death.
The galaxy's ongoing power struggles provide a rich backdrop for epic space battles, a hallmark of Star Wars. Gosling's character could be a New Republic pilot striving to restore order, perhaps filling the void left by Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron movie. Alternatively, he might represent a local defender in a world struggling without the Republic's support, or even an ex-First Order trooper like Finn.
As a standalone film, Starfighter is unlikely to set up a new overarching conflict but rather focus on the fallout from The Rise of Skywalker. It could center on a villain exploiting the current power vacuum in the galaxy.
Rebuilding the Jedi Order
Luke Skywalker's attempt to rebuild the Jedi Order was thwarted by Ben Solo's turn to the dark side, leading to the destruction of the Jedi Temple. While many Jedi were killed, it's plausible that some survived, similar to those who evaded Order 66. The status of Ahsoka Tano during this era remains a mystery, although her voice was heard among the Force ghosts at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, and Dave Filoni has hinted at her ongoing presence.
Rey Skywalker is set to rebuild the Jedi Order 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker in the upcoming New Jedi Order movie, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Whether Starfighter will address the Jedi's current state might depend on Gosling's character's Force sensitivity. If he is a Jedi, Rey could make a cameo, guiding him. Otherwise, Starfighter might focus on non-Jedi heroes, much like Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Are the Sith Still Around?
With Palpatine's final defeat in The Rise of Skywalker, the question of the Sith's survival remains. The Star Wars Legends universe showed that Sith threats persisted long after Palpatine's initial defeat. Even if no formal Sith remain, the Dark Side's allure could still draw new villains, possibly former apprentices or members of the Knights of Ren. Whether Starfighter will delve into this depends on its focus, but the potential for Dark Side antagonists is ever-present in the Star Wars universe.
Could Poe Dameron or Other Sequel Trilogy Characters Return?
Star Wars: Starfighter introduces a new lead character, but the franchise often includes cameos and callbacks. Poe Dameron, renowned as one of the galaxy's best pilots, could have a role in restoring the New Republic. Chewbacca, Rey's former co-pilot, might also appear, potentially alongside Gosling's character in the Millennium Falcon.
Finn, having become a symbol for defecting Stormtroopers, could return if the film deals with First Order remnants. Rey's appearance might hinge on Gosling's character being a Jedi, given her focus on rebuilding the Jedi Order in future films.
Which surviving character from The Rise of Skywalker would you most like to see in Star Wars: Starfighter? Cast your vote in our poll and let us know in the comments below.
AnswerSee ResultsFor more on the future of the Star Wars franchise, find out why Lucasfilm needs to stop announcing movies and just make them, and brush up on every Star Wars movie and series in development.
