Lucasfilm has released a new image from Star Wars: Starfighter, giving fans their first official look at the next major film in the galaxy far, far away. The photo shows Ryan Gosling and co-star Flynn Gray seated on a landspeeder, signaling that production is officially underway. But some fans believe the reveal hints at a deeper problem within the franchise itself.
Directed by Shawn Levy, known for Deadpool & Wolverine, and starring Gosling alongside Oscar-nominee Amy Adams, Starfighter is being positioned as one of Lucasfilm’s biggest bets since The Rise of Skywalker. The studio also confirmed supporting roles for Mia Goth, Matt Smith, and Aaron Pierre. Still, eyes quickly turned toward the billing order, with Gray’s name appearing directly beneath Gosling’s on the official cast list. That placement suggests the two will anchor the story together.
Here’s the image:
The casting details, paired with the first look photo, led many to assume the movie will center on Gosling’s veteran pilot guiding Gray’s younger character. Analysts point out that the formula mirrors recent Star Wars hits — and not necessarily in a fresh way. Since 2019, several stories have relied on the same mentor-protégé model, beginning with The Mandalorian, where Din Djarin protected Grogu. That same pattern appeared in The Bad Batch with Omega and even resurfaced in Obi-Wan Kenobi through the older Jedi and young Princess Leia dynamic.
Critics argue the pattern signals creative fatigue. “It’s safe, but it’s worn out,” one longtime franchise commentator told FOX News Digital. The concern is that Starfighter could repeat what worked before, rather than push Star Wars into new territory. Fans have voiced similar worries online, urging Lucasfilm to focus on different eras, characters, and tones.
Not all the news points to repetition, though. Levy’s film stands apart from current continuity. Studio officials confirmed that Starfighter will not connect to any existing movies or shows. That move could offer the clean slate many fans have requested. It’s also notable that the film is stacked with A-list talent, a rare choice for recent Star Wars projects that leaned on unknown or emerging actors.
Also of not, in a recent interview with The New York Times, Levy revealed that none other than Tom Cruise visited the production of Star Wars: Starfighter in London back in November, and actually helped out shooting a fight scene for the film. “Last week Steven Spielberg was here. And now Tom Cruise is wielding a camera, ruining his very nice shoes,” Levy told the NYT, “now when you see the movie. You’ll know that part of it was shot by Tom. I mean, how cool is that?”
Levy also shared with On Film…With Kevin McCarthy that he found himself “forced to come up with a new idea” for the third act of the film, but admited they ended up with a “much better” ending for the picture. The stand alone story and high-profile cast may signal a shift inside Lucasfilm toward broader, original storytelling. Still, until official plot details emerge, the central question remains whether Starfighter will break free from old patterns or fall back into them.
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