Star Wars: Starfighter Plot and Timeline Details

Breaking News from Star Wars Celebration 2025

Marvel fans know Shawn Levy from Deadpool & Wolverine, but now he's steering the Millennium Falcon - metaphorically speaking - as director of the newly announced Star Wars: Starfighter. This standalone live-action feature will star Ryan Gosling (because apparently Hollywood now requires him in every franchise), with filming beginning this fall ahead of its May 28, 2027 release. This positions it as the next Star Wars theatrical release following The Mandalorian & Grogu in 2026.

The Known Unknowns

Lucasfilm's announcement came with galactic breadcrumbs rather than a full meal. We know the film occurs approximately five years post-The Rise of Skywalker - making it the furthest chronological leap in Star Wars cinematic history. Everything else is currently hyperspace speculation.

A Legacy Name, But New Territory

The Starfighter title pays homage to early 2000s PlayStation/Xbox flight combat games, but narrative connections appear unlikely. Those games occupied Prequel Trilogy timelines, while Gosling's adventure unfolds decades later in an uncharted era.

What Remains of the Galaxy?

The Sequel Trilogy's conclusion left several hanging threads that Starfighter might explore:

• The decimated New Republic's attempts at rebuilding
• Potential First Order remnants mirroring the old Imperial warlords
• The growing pirate threat shown in The Mandalorian and Skeleton Crew

Jedi Questions Abound

With Rey's New Jedi Order film set 15 years post-TROS, Starfighter could showcase the messy interim period for Force users. Will Gosling's character be:

• A rogue New Republic pilot?
• A planetary defense force member?
• An ex-First Order trooper following Finn's path?
• (Wild speculation) A fledgling Jedi discovered by Rey?

Sith or No Sith?

Palpatine's final defeat doesn't necessarily mean the Dark Side's extinction. Might we see:

• Former Knights of Ren reorganizing?
• A dark side cult rising from the ashes?
• Something entirely new?

Sequel Alumni Potential Cameos

While a standalone story, Star Wars loves its legacy appearances. Probable candidates include:

• Poe Dameron (galaxy's best surviving pilot)
• Chewbacca (someone's gotta fly the Falcon)
• Finn (First Order defector turned hero)