It's official: Production on the next "Star Wars" movie is formally underway. Lucasfilm has indeed confirmed that "Star Wars: Starfighter" has kicked off filming by revealing a first-look photo at Ryan Gosling ("Barbie") on the movie's set alongside his co-star Flynn Gray ("Borderline"), which you can check out below. On top of that, the studio has announced the main cast for the film, which was written by Jonathan Tropper ("The Adam Project") and is being directed by Shawn Levy ("Deadpool & Wolverine").
As for the cast, the ensemble also includes Matt Smith ("House of the Dragon"), Mia Goth ("X"), Aaron Pierre ("Rebel Ridge"), Simon Bird ("The Inbetweeners"), Jamael Westman ("Good Grief"), Daniel Ings ("The Marvels"), and Amy Adams ("Man of Steel"). Smith was previously reported to have signed up for "Starfighter," and he is expected to play the movie's villain. Still, many of these names are both new and impressive.
For one, Pierre is a star on the rise after blowing up thanks to "Rebel Ride" on Netflix. He's also starring in the Green Lantern show "Lanterns" for DC. Then, of course, there's Adams, a six-time Oscar nominee whose inclusion is very much a surprise. Naturally, for the time being, Lucasfilm hasn't offered any specifics as to who any of these actors are playing. Even Gosling and Gray's character are pretty obscured in the first-look photo. With that being said, Levy issued a statement as part of the announcement:
"I feel a profound sense of excitement and honor as we begin production on 'Star Wars: Starfighter.' From the day Kathy Kennedy called me up, inviting me to develop an original adventure in this incredible 'Star Wars' galaxy, this experience has been a dream come true, creatively and personally. 'Star Wars' shaped my sense of what story can do, how characters and cinematic moments can live with us forever. To join this storytelling galaxy with such brilliant collaborators, on-screen and off, is the thrill of a lifetime."
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Starfighter Is The First Truly New Star Wars Movie In Years
Other actors were in the mix for the movie, but it didn't pan out. We know that Oscar-winner Mikey Madison ("Anora") turned down a role in "Starfighter," with Goth seemingly taking her place. Either way, Levy and Lucasfilm have managed to put together an interesting mix of established and emerging talents.
For now, the big takeaway is that Disney and Lucasfilm are finally getting back to making "Star Wars" for the big screen. The last movie in the franchise was "Star Wars: Episode IX -- The Rise of Skywalker" in 2019, which brought the uneven, divisive sequel trilogy to a close. Ever since then, it's largely been live-action shows like "Andor" on Disney+ pulling focus. After six years, though, the future is finally taking shape.
Next year will see the release of Jon Favreau's "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which will bring the characters from the Disney+ series "The Mandalorian" to a theater near you. But while that film is already in the can, Disney didn't wait long to keep the ball rolling, as "Starfighter" is now shooting for a summer 2027 release. The studio clearly doesn't want to go another six-plus years without a new "Star Wars" movie.
The big difference with "Starfighter," however, is that it will take the "Star Wars" franchise somewhere different. Though concrete plot details remain fully under wraps, Levy has previously confirmed that the film will pick up roughly a handful of years after the events of "Rise of Skywalker." Moreover, the movie will focus on a totally new roster of characters, in addition to being set in a previously unexplored era of the "Star Wars" timeline. And seeing as it's been quite a while since we truly got something new from a "Star Wars" film, that makes "Starfighter" a pretty intriguing prospect.
"Star Wars: Starfighter" is set to hit theaters on May 28, 2027.
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Read the original article on SlashFilm.
