Ryan Gosling is taking Star Wars somewhere it has never gone before. The first look at Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy, has revealed a new corner of the galaxy, a new hero and a story that leaves the Skywalker family behind.
According to Deadline, the first footage was unveiled at Disney’s D23 fan event. Gosling plays Kade, a pilot whose swagger recalls his character in Drive. The film takes place at the furthest point in the Star Wars timeline and explores new planets and systems.
The footage opens with Flynn Gray’s young character entering a rusty spaceship garage. He discovers an old spacecraft that resembles a speeder. Kade then walks in and asks, “Didn’t I tell you not to touch anything?”
When the boy asks what the craft is, Kade identifies it as a decommissioned G17. He calls it “the fastest straighter ever built”.
The new film does not feature any characters previously seen in the Star Wars films. Yet the footage contains several familiar elements. Speeder bikes race across swamps, large Imperial-style starships fill the skies and a bridge resembling the one Luke Skywalker and Leia used also appears.
The story unfolds on a planet covered by seas, continuing the visual world hinted at in the first image released from the film.
Star Wars: Starfighter will arrive in cinemas on 28 May, during Memorial Day weekend. Levy noted that the date carries special significance because the original Star Wars opened on the same date 50 years ago.
The film arrives as Lucasfilm looks to reinvigorate the franchise. The previous live-action Star Wars film, The Mandalorian and Grogu, cost $165 million before prints and advertising and earned $345 million worldwide.
Levy brings strong box-office credentials to the new project. His Deadpool & Wolverine became the highest-grossing R-rated film ever, earning $1.33 billion worldwide.
Before introducing the Starfighter footage, Levy surprised the D23 audience with archival footage of a young Gosling from The Mickey Mouse Club. Gosling also appeared on stage during the event, drawing an enthusiastic response from fans.
With a new hero, unfamiliar worlds and a story set beyond the Skywalker saga, Starfighter is shaping up as a fresh chapter for the long-running franchise.
