"Star Wars: Starfighter - Plot and Timeline Revealed"

The most thrilling announcement from Star Wars Celebration 2025 was the revelation that Shawn Levy, the acclaimed director of Deadpool & Wolverine, is set to helm Star Wars: Starfighter, a new standalone, live-action film starring Ryan Gosling. Scheduled to commence production this fall, Starfighter is slated for a May 28, 2027 release, positioning it as the next major Star Wars film following 2026's The Mandalorian and Grogu. While the plot remains largely under wraps, Lucasfilm has confirmed that the film is set approximately five years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, making it the furthest exploration yet into the Star Wars timeline.

This period of Star Wars lore remains largely uncharted, offering ample room for speculation on how the galaxy has evolved since the conclusion of The Rise of Skywalker. Drawing on the ending of that film and the pre-Disney Legends universe, we can explore the lingering questions and potential directions for Starfighter.

Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and TV Show

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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 PS2/Xbox era. The original Star Wars: Starfighter, released in 2001, and its sequel, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter in 2002, are set during the prequel trilogy. While the new film shares a name with these games, it is unlikely to borrow heavily from their plots due to its setting decades later. However, the movie could incorporate the dynamic ship-to-ship combat and Force-powered enhancements seen in Jedi Starfighter, potentially featuring Gosling's character as a Jedi pilot, adding an exciting twist to the action sequences.

The Fate of the New Republic

The Rise of Skywalker concluded with the defeat of Emperor Palpatine and the Sith Eternal, yet left the state of the galaxy somewhat ambiguous. The New Republic's fate after the devastating attack by the First Order's Starkiller Base in The Force Awakens remains unclear. The ongoing tension between Populists and Centrists within the New Republic, as detailed in the novel Star Wars: Bloodline, suggests a weakened and divided government struggling to rebuild. Starfighter could explore this power vacuum, potentially featuring Gosling as a pilot striving to restore order amidst ongoing struggles with remnants of the First Order and rampant piracy.

Rebuilding the Jedi Order

Luke Skywalker's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order were tragically disrupted 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, and the status of characters like Ahsoka Tano remains uncertain. Rey Skywalker's mission to revive the Jedi Order, set to be explored in a future film, occurs a decade after Starfighter. Whether the new movie will delve into the current state of the Jedi depends on whether Gosling's character is Force-sensitive. If so, we might see a cameo from Rey, linking the films together.

Are the Sith Still Around?

With Palpatine's definitive demise in The Rise of Skywalker, the question arises whether the Sith Order persists. The Star Wars Legends universe suggests that the Sith can reemerge long after their supposed extinction. While Starfighter may not directly address the Sith, the galaxy's history of dark side threats implies that new villains could rise to fill the power vacuum left by Palpatine.

Could Poe Dameron or Other Sequel Trilogy Characters Return?

As a standalone film, Starfighter will introduce a new lead character, but the Star Wars franchise is known for its cameos and connections. Poe Dameron, portrayed by Oscar Isaac, seems a likely candidate for a return, given his piloting prowess and role in rebuilding the galaxy. Other characters like Chewbacca, Finn, and Rey could also appear, depending on the film's direction and their relevance to Gosling's character's journey.

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.