Starfighter’ Role Is His “Bravest” [Exclusive]

Ryan Gosling has racked up one massive blockbuster appearance after another. Just in the last decade, he’s earned Oscar nominations for his roles in 2016’s La La Land (Best Actor) and 2023’s Barbie (Best Supporting Actor). Other projects like First Man and The Fall Guy have also been well received, and now he’s back in the spotlight again for his leading role in the movie adaptation of The Martian author Andy Weir’s book Project Hail Mary.

Gosling is also set to join another massive franchise in the near future, as he’s been confirmed to play the leading role in 2027’s Star Wars: Starfighter. Directed by Shawn Levy (Deadpool and Wolverine) and written by Jonathan Tropper (The Adam Project), this will be the second Star Wars movie since the release of 2019’s Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. Ahead of its release, Gosling has already given one special designation to the character he will bring to life.

Speaking exclusively with MovieWeb during the press tour for Project Hail Mary, Gosling was asked to rank his coolest, bravest, and smartest characters between his roles in three sci-fi movies: Grace Ryan (Project Hail Mary), Officer K (Blade Runner 2049), and the role he’s playing in Star Wars: Starfighter. Rather than ducking the question, he offered an intriguing glimpse into the future:

“Coolest, bravest, and smartest. Ok, I don’t know, that’s a hard one. Grace, maybe, I think Grace is the coolest. I think he’s pretty cool. And then I’ll say my character from Star Wars is maybe the bravest, and maybe smartest goes to Blade Runner.”

What To Expect From Ryan Gosling’s ‘Starfighter’

Gosling joins the Star Wars universe in a new adventure that also boasts a cast full of A-list stars surrounding him. Flynn Grey co-stars alongside Gosling, and they’re joined by Matt Smith (Doctor Who), Mia Goth (Frankenstein), Aaron Pierre (Lanterns), and Amy Adams (Arrival).

As for what will happen in the movie, fans already know there will be at least one new round of classic lightsaber action along with the expected starship flights. In fact, movie legend Tom Cruise got the chance to help shoot one of those lightsaber battles, capturing a sequence that Levy confirmed will be in the final cut of Starfighter when it debuts in theaters.

With well over a year and a half left until Starfighter debuts, there is still no publicly known information regarding who Gosling will play in the movie or what the story behind his character might be. However, considering his quotes here, it seems safe to expect more than a few epic moments. The hope is that a trailer may arrive either in late 2026 or early 2027 to shed new light on the story; in the meantime, reports released through the rest of this year should provide even more insight into what Shawn Levy and Lucasfilm have in store.

Star Wars: Starfighter will soar into theaters on May 28, 2027.