There's making a big movie, and then there's making a Star Wars movie. The latter comes with its own unique brand of pressure—global scrutiny, a fanbase that dissects every frame, and the weight of a legacy that spans decades. For director Shawn Levy, that pressure has been a constant companion on the set of Starfighter, but he's found an unlikely co-pilot: Ryan Gosling.
Speaking with Collider at the Gotham Television Awards, Levy—who was there to honor the Duffer Brothers—shared an exclusive look at how Gosling has evolved from lead actor to full-blown creative partner. “Ryan is a generational talent,” Levy said. “He’s someone I have admired and loved on screen for so many years and across so many genres, but as a collaborator and true partner, Ryan and I from script development, through the prep, through the shoot and even now in post-production, I constantly check in with him and lean on him.”
That partnership, Levy explained, has been a lifeline. “Making Star Wars, you never forget the pressure—it’s daily, and it’s global. And so, having a touchstone, so you can just focus on the next shot and scene, that got me through.”
The stakes for Starfighter are sky-high, especially after the mixed reception of The Mandalorian and Grogu and the lingering disappointment of The Rise of Skywalker. Levy’s film is tasked with reigniting fan enthusiasm, and his collaboration with Gosling might be the secret weapon. The duo has worked closely from script development through production and into post-production, a rare level of involvement for a star of Gosling’s caliber.
Levy also singled out newcomer Flynn Gray, who stars opposite Gosling. The director compared Gray’s poise to the young actors he worked with on Stranger Things, praising his ability to handle the scale and noise of a Star Wars set. “If you cast someone in a big part in Star Wars opposite Ryan Gosling, you need them to have poise, you need them to have enough internal solidity that they can handle these competing forces,” Levy said. “Flynn Gray has that inner, solid sense of self.”
The cast of Starfighter also includes Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams. The film is currently scheduled for release on May 28, 2027.
For fans wondering how the galaxy far, far away will fare after the recent box office turbulence—including A24's 'Backrooms' shattering opening weekend records and 'Masters of the Universe' kicking 'The Mandalorian & Grogu' out of IMAX—Levy’s confidence in his creative partnership with Gosling offers a glimmer of hope. As he put it, “That powerful, creative flow will make Starfighter better.”
