Releasing next year, Lucasfilm’s next Star Wars movie is set to have a major advantage over the entire sequel trilogy. Although the sequels from Disney introduced a new generation of heroes, the events of those movies were still intrinsically tied to the story of the Skywalkers and the aftermath of the original trilogy. Looking ahead, it’s refreshing to think about the level of freedom Star Wars: Starfighter seemingly has.
Directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, there’s plenty we don’t yet know about the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter movie releasing next summer. However, what has been confirmed is incredibly exciting, while also teasing what will no doubt be one of the movie’s biggest strengths: a truly blank slate.
When it comes to Star Wars: Starfighter, the creative freedom to explore the galaxy in all new ways will likely result in one of the most fascinating and refreshing Star Wars movies in the Disney era yet (especially when compared to the sequels).
Everything We Know So Far About Star Wars: Starfighter’s Story And Setting
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Based on the story and plot details revealed so far, Star Wars: Starfighter will be taking place five years after the sequels, the furthest point in the established timeline yet. Set in a period of galaxy history not yet explored, the series features Ryan Gosling as Kade Auberon, a brand-new rogue with a complicated past who apparently owns one of the fastest experimental ships ever built, a hidden relic from the Imperial era. Meanwhile, actor Flynn Gray will be playing a young man whose destiny will become tied to Auberon’s.
The rest of the cast will also include major names, including Mia Goth, Matt Smith, Amy Adams, and Aaron Pierre, though there isn’t much we know about their characters other than Adams may be playing the mother to Gray’s character, and that Goth and Smith are likely the movie’s antagonists.
It’s also been revealed by director Shawn Levy that the Star Wars galaxy will be without an official galactic government in the wake of the sequels, meaning the galaxy at large will likely be more lawless and likely won’t have major factions vying for galactic control. All put together, the greatest strength Starfighter has going for it feels pretty clear.
Compared To The Sequels, Starfighter Has So Much More Freedom
Due to Disney/Lucasfilm’s desire to bring back legacy characters from the original trilogy and mirror the plots of George Lucas’ first three films, the franchise was arguably more creatively boxed in than it needed to be. After all, the sequels had to balance introducing new characters with continuing the stories of familiar heroes.
2015’s The Force Awakens brought audiences back to a galaxy shaped by Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo, while also establishing the First Order as a brand-new (yet familiar) threat. Subsequent installments then had to build on those choices and ultimately attempt to deliver a satisfying ending for the Skywalker saga as a whole (which was certainly easier said than done)
Rearrange the movies into the correct US release order.
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In comparison, Star Wars: Starfighter doesn’t have to worry about any of that, or even navigate the timeline all that much, as it sits at its furthest point yet. Not only will its primary cast consist of brand-new characters, but the galaxy itself will apparently be more of a blank slate than ever seen before on-screen following Palpatine and the Final Order’s defeat in Rise of Skywalker five years prior.
Starfighter has so much more free rein to introduce new heroes, villains, and conflicts without immediately returning to the same dynasties or galactic wars seen in the franchise’s past. Ultimately, Starfighter will help establish what Star Wars looks like beyond the Skywalker saga, especially with a new trilogy confirmed to be on the horizon. It’s a good bet that its identity will be its own and likely more unique than any Star Wars project we’ve seen in years.
Star Wars: Starfighter releases May 28th, 2027 from Lucasfilm.
Star Wars: Starfighter
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