Report: New Jedi Apprentice Revealed as Disney Holds Rey Movie in Frustrating Stasis
The Star Wars saga is about to venture into uncharted territory. Nearly five decades after its debut, the galaxy far, far away is introducing a brand-new Jedi hero in an upcoming big-screen adventure.
Following years of uncertainty, Lucasfilm’s theatrical future is finally taking shape. The Mandalorian and Grogu will blast into theaters on May 22, 2026, with Star Wars: Starfighter set to follow on May 28, 2027.
The first project is widely speculated to act as a full-length sendoff for the Disney+ phenomenon rather than a fourth season, though Lucasfilm hasn’t confirmed that shift. Given Pedro Pascal’s increasingly packed schedule, many believe Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu will be the final standalone chapter for the character.
Even so, should Dave Filoni’s planned Mando-Verse crossover film materialize, fans could still see Din Djarin and Din Grogu return for one last mission.
In late 2023, Shawn Levy teased to IndieWire: “There’s a Star Wars movie that I’m developing. You never know what’s going to become undeniable and get made next.” Teaming with The Adam Project screenwriter Jonathan Tropper, Levy already had a draft in motion.
As The Hollywood Reporter revealed, this won’t be tied to the Skywalker family narrative: “It is, however, to be unconnected to the so-called Skywalker Saga, the stories centered on well-established and beloved characters Luke Skywalker and his father, Anakin,” the outlet noted.
“It is meant to be a stand-alone movie, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Lucasfilm had no comment on any impending deal or the project’s details.”
Then came the casting scoop: “Ryan Gosling is headed to the great galaxy far, far away. The three-time Oscar nominee is in negotiations to topline the Star Wars feature project that will be directed by Deadpool & Wolverine filmmaker Shawn Levy,” THR confirmed.
Industry chatter picked up when @MyTimeToShineH claimed the movie was “moving fast” and hinted Gosling was already locked in. If accurate, this would mark his first voyage into the Star Wars universe.
Daniel Richtman (via Comic Book Movie) reported that “it may start shooting as early as this Fall in the UK.” That aligns with THR’s follow-up: “If a deal makes, the project would continue to fly like the Millennium Falcon, becoming not only Levy’s next movie but also the next Star Wars movie to go into production, with cameras potentially rolling this fall.”
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy told Deadline the story takes place after the sequel trilogy: “Shawn’s is a standalone Star Wars story that’ll take place post-nine, maybe five or six years out. And Mandalorian really stands on its own because there, we’re dealing with a whole other era in the New Republic,” she said.
“We have other development going on in that space as well. So that’s the space that we’re pretty much focused on right at the moment because, obviously, with Mandalorian, we have a pretty good sense of where that’s going. And with this, it’s all pretty much new characters. We may bring some of the characters back from the sequel saga, but pretty much new characters.”
The speculation ended when the title, cast, and release date were made official.
At Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo, Levy and Gosling took the stage alongside Kennedy and Dave Filoni to unveil Star Wars: Starfighter, scheduled for May 28, 2027.
As StarWars.com described: “Set approximately five years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Gosling will play a brand-new character teased by the actor’s appearance on stage.”
The announcement continued: “One of several theatrical projects still in development from Lucasfilm, including films by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, James Mangold, Taika Waititi, and a new trilogy by Simon Kinberg, Levy’s film–Star Wars: Starfighter–will star Gosling and go into production starting this fall.”
Unlike earlier expectations that Rey would headline the post-sequel film slate, Starfighter will center on original characters set after the First Order’s defeat and Palpatine’s (Ian McDiarmid) downfall.
Daniel Richtman revealed the premise via Patreon (reported by The Direct): “A Jedi (played by Ryan Gosling) trains his 15-year-old nephew as his Padawan. They’re on a mission while being pursued by two villains–one male, one female. The Padawan’s mother also plays an important role in the story, and there’s another major female character as well.”
Alongside Gosling and Mia Goth, Matt Smith has joined the project as another antagonist character. Beyond that, much of Levy’s storyline remains tightly guarded.
A subsequent Richtman update indicated casting for the young Padawan is complete: “The news of Star Wars: Starfighter‘s latest casting comes from entertainment insider Daniel Richtman’s Patreon, which revealed that the lead of Shawn Levy’s film has been found and that they are a ‘young child actor,'” The Direct reported. “The young star will appear alongside Ryan Gosling.”
This premise would distinguish it from Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s New Jedi Order film featuring Rey, which remains in development limbo.
Though it shares its title with the 2001 LucasArts game “Star Wars: Starfighter,” the movie’s setting is entirely different. Still, the game’s theme of pilots uniting against a looming danger could inspire elements.
Levy’s blend of spectacle and heart, as seen in The Adam Project and Stranger Things, alongside his Deadpool & Wolverine sensibilities, could bring a balance of character drama and lighter moments to Starfighter.
Outside Starfighter, James Mangold is crafting “Dawn of the Jedi,” while Dave Filoni continues work on his Mandalorian-era film. Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron may be back on track, and Simon Kinberg is developing a trilogy rumored to be Episodes X–XII.
For now, Starfighter is the next in line for production, promising a fresh chapter unbound from Skywalker’s legacy. With a fall start date, Gosling, Goth, and Smith ready to lead, and Disney eager to draw audiences back into theaters, Lucasfilm is gearing up for a new phase in the galaxy far, far away.
