The Next Star Wars Movie Breaks 6 Traditions To Save The Franchise

Published Oct 2, 2026, 11:46 PM EDT Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero. With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention. Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise. 50 years after the release of 1977's A New Hope, next year's Star Wars: Starfighter is set to break more than one tradition as it attempts to save the franchise and reassert Star Wars as a major box-office draw. Directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, 2027's Starfighter is primed to be a Star Wars movie the likes of which we've never seen before. Set approximately five years after The Rise of Skywalker, Starfighter has been described as an all-new standalone adventure starring Ryan Gosling as Kade Auberon and actor Flynn Gray as a young man whom Auberon will be tasked with protecting from dark forces. Although this year's The Mandalorian and Grogu was Star Wars' first theatrical release since 2019, Starfighter has generally been viewed as Lucasfilm's true triumphant return to the big-screen, while also being the start of a brand-new era for the galaxy far, far away (in more ways than one). From its post-Skywalker Saga setting to its uniquely star-studded cast, here are some of the biggest ways Star Wars: Starfighter is set to break classic franchise traditions in order to effectively "save" the franchise itself, establishing a new era of Star Wars storytelling from Lucasfilm. No Original Trilogy Characters Are Set To Appear In Starfighter Based on everything officially announced so far, Levy and Gosling's Starfighter does not have any confirmed appearances from Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Darth Vader, or the other major characters who defined the original trilogy, many of whom also appeared in the sequels. While that may sound obvious for a movie set after Rise of Skywalker, it still represents a key departure for the franchise. Likewise, characters like Luke Skywalker's Force ghost, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, RD-D2, C-3PO could technically be featured based on the canon. Instead, it's repeatedly been said that Starfighter will largely be focused on Gosling's Kade Auberon and a whole new generation/cast of characters. Ultimately, this sounds like a very exciting idea, as it will better allow brand-new audiences to get invested in the galaxy without necessarily needing any kind of prior knowledge. Star Wars: Starfighter Is A True Standalone It's also been reported that Star Wars: Starfighter will be a wholly standalone movie, rather than being connected to a full trilogy or any kind of bigger narrative arc. It's been explicitly described as a standalone adventure with an original story. In the past, there have really only been two movies that have been standalone stories: Solo and Rogue One, and even then, they were both essentially prequel stories teeing up the original trilogy. The same goes for The Mandalorian and Grogu, as its titular duo are, of course, pre-existing characters who'd already had three full seasons of television on Disney+. In comparison, Starfighter looks like it will be the most standalone and original theatrical release the franchise has ever seen (thus far). That's incredibly exciting, as it means Starfighter can function on its own terms as it explores a new corner of the galaxy far, far away. Starfighter's Galaxy Won't Have A Centralized Government Custom image by Sean Morrison One of the most interesting changes was recently revealed by director Shawn Levy, who confirmed that there won't be any form of centralized government during the events of Star Wars: Starfighter, despite being set five years after the events of Rise of Skywalker. During the sequels, the First Order wiped out the New Republic government with their massive superweapon known as Starkiller Base, destroying Hosnian Prime (the New Republic's capital world) and four other worlds in the system simultaneously. Although the First Order subsequently started taking over the galaxy between The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker, both it and Palpatine's Final Order were destroyed by the end of the final chapter of the Skywalker saga. However, it seems things are still going to be more uncertain when it comes to a central governing body in the years following Rise of Skywalker. As such, one can expect the galaxy to have likely become both freer...and perhaps more dangerous as well. It also suggests that Starfighter won't have the usual backdrop of two major warring factions vying for galactic control. As such, the idea of an empty power vacuum sounds like some fascinating new territory and far less predictable. Ryan Gosling Is Star Wars' Biggest Lead Actor Casting Ever Credit: Steve Vas/Future Image/Cover Images Another major Star Wars tradition Starfighter is definitely breaking is the casting of its lead protagonist. Without a doubt, Ryan Gosling is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood right now. As such, his upcoming role as Kade Auberon represents an incredibly unique high-profile casting that is very uncommon for the vast majority of Star Wars movies. Looking back, The Skywalker Saga frequently cast relatively less-established performers for its core central protagonists. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Hayden Christensen, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, were relative unknowns before many went on to have bigger careers following their involvement with Star Wars. Conversely, Gosling is coming from the opposite direction. He's already had a decades-long career with several major movies, including (but not limited to) La La Land, Barbie, and most recently this year's Project Hail Mary. Likewise, several big Hollywood names will be joining him as well for a remarkably recognizable cast, including Mia Goth, Amy Adams, Matt Smith, Aaron Pierre, and more. All things considered, it's quite a deviation from how Lucasfilm has typically cast its leads, though it will certainly help make the movie feel like an event in its own right, regardless of one's level of investment in Star Wars previously. Seeing as how Lucasfilm is clearly wanting to reposition Star Wars as a must-see theatrical experience after a multi-year absence, that's not a bad way to go in the slightest. Starfighter Is Set After The Skywalker Saga Perhaps one of the most exciting changes is simply where Starfighter exists on the established timeline, being set approximately five years after The Rise of Skywalker. That makes it the furthest-forward theatrical Star Wars movie in franchise history. In recent years, Star Wars has spent its time looking backward to the past (The High Repubilc) or largely operating within the confines of the Skywalker saga itself (a period just under 70 years). Now, Starfighter is moving beyond a few years later, and is likely preparing to show audiences a new era for the Star Wars galaxy with all sorts of surprises and new concepts, with a greater level of narrative freedom overall. Starfighter Is A Star Wars Movie Designed To Launch A New Era Ultimately, this may be the biggest tradition Starfighter is breaking, as the movie clearly feels designed to break ground from past franchise conventions, while still feeling like it's inherently Star Wars in terms of its feel and tone. It's no accident that Starfighter is set to release next year on May 28th 2027, almost exactly 50 years since the theatrical release of 1977's A New Hope on May 25th. Unlike any Star Wars movie that's come before it, Starfighter is carrying the unique pressure and responsibility of restoring Star Wars' reputation and legacy status on the big-screen while also kicking off a new era for Lucasfilm and the franchise itself. Presumably set to introduce more new characters and concepts than ever before, Starfighter is going to still have to prove that a Star Wars movie can still feel like Star Wars even in the face of so much "new". Depending onhow you look at it, perhaps that's not really much of a deviation at all. After all, George Lucas' Star Wars movies were always vehicles to try new things with technology and cinematic storytelling, never afraid to show audiences something new. In that light, perhaps it just feels like a deviation in the Disney-Star Wars era... Star Wars: Starfighter releases in theaters on May 28th, 2027 from Lucasfilm. Release Date May 28, 2027 Director Shawn Levy Writers Jonathan Tropper Producers Shawn Levy, Kathleen Kennedy Franchise(s) Star Wars