"Star Wars: Starfighter - Plot and Timeline Revealed"

The most exciting news from Star Wars Celebration 2025 was undoubtedly the announcement that Deadpool & Wolverine's Shawn Levy is directing Star Wars: Starfighter, a standalone live-action film featuring Ryan Gosling. Scheduled to hit theaters on May 28, 2027, Starfighter will follow the events of 2026's The Mandalorian and Grogu, with production kicking off this fall. While details about the plot remain scarce, one key fact has been disclosed: the film is set approximately five years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, marking it as the furthest point in the Star Wars timeline explored in any movie or series to date.

This era of Star Wars lore remains largely uncharted. However, we can infer some potential developments based on the conclusion of The Rise of Skywalker and the pre-Disney Legends universe's depiction of this period. Let's delve into the significant questions left unanswered by The Rise of Skywalker and how Starfighter might tackle them.

Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and TV Show

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The Star Wars: Starfighter Games

It's worth noting that Star Wars: Starfighter shares its name with a series of games from the PS2/Xbox era. The original Star Wars: Starfighter, released in 2001, and its sequel, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, released in 2002, are set during Episodes I and II, respectively. While the new movie shares the name, it's unlikely to borrow much from the games' plots, given its setting decades later. However, the film could draw inspiration from Jedi Starfighter's ship-to-ship combat, which included Force powers like shields, lightning, and shockwaves. If Gosling's character is both a Jedi and a skilled pilot, this could add an exciting dimension to the movie's action sequences.

The Fate of the New Republic

The Rise of Skywalker concludes with the defeat of Emperor Palpatine and the Sith Eternal, but it leaves the state of the galaxy post-Battle of Exegol ambiguous. The New Republic's fate after the destruction of Hosnian Prime by the First Order's Starkiller Base in The Force Awakens remains unclear. Subsequent Star Wars projects have primarily focused on the conflict between Leia's Resistance and the First Order, leaving the New Republic's status post-leadership loss largely unexplored.

In the era of Star Wars: Starfighter, the New Republic might still exist, albeit weakened. The novel Star Wars: Bloodline highlights the internal conflict between Populists and Centrists, which could persist as the New Republic attempts to regroup and rebuild. Additionally, remnants of the First Order might still be active, rallying around a surviving leader after Kylo Ren's demise. This suggests a power struggle in the galaxy, ripe for epic space battles that fans love. The film could also address the growing pirate problem seen in The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, as the New Republic struggles to maintain order.

Gosling's character might be a New Republic pilot striving to restore order, potentially filling the role envisioned for Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron movie. Alternatively, he could be a local defender or even an ex-First Order trooper like Finn. As a standalone film, Starfighter is likely to focus on the aftermath of The Rise of Skywalker, exploring how a villain exploits the current power vacuum.

Rebuilding the Jedi Order

Luke Skywalker's initial efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order were promising, as seen in The Book of Boba Fett and various books and comics. However, Ben Solo's betrayal and the destruction of Luke's temple derailed these plans, leading Luke to retreat to Ahch-To. The fate of the surviving Jedi remains uncertain, with some possibly still alive, much like the Jedi who survived Order 66.

Ahsoka Tano's status during the Sequel era is also unclear, though her voice is heard among the Force ghosts at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, and Dave Filoni has hinted that Ahsoka isn’t dead. Meanwhile, Rey Skywalker is set to rebuild the Jedi Order in the New Jedi Order movie, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, which takes place 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, a decade after Starfighter.

Whether Starfighter will address the Jedi's current state depends on Gosling's character. If he's Force-sensitive, Rey might appear to guide him. Otherwise, the film might focus on ordinary heroes, similar to Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Are the Sith Still Around?

The Rise of Skywalker established Palpatine as the central villain of the Skywalker Saga, but with his final defeat, the question remains: are there any Sith still active? The Expanded Universe suggests that Palpatine's death wouldn't be the end of the Sith, with various stories detailing conflicts involving new Sith Lords. The Clone Wars series also showed Palpatine facing Dark Side rivals, indicating that others might seize the opportunity in his absence.

Starfighter might not delve into the Sith's current state if Gosling's character isn't a Jedi. Fans may need to wait for the New Jedi Order movie or Simon Kinberg's Star Wars trilogy for more on this front.

Could Poe Dameron or Other Sequel Trilogy Characters Return?

Star Wars: Starfighter introduces a new lead character and explores an uncharted period, but as a standalone film, it might still feature cameos from familiar faces. Poe Dameron, portrayed by Oscar Isaac, seems a likely candidate given his piloting skills and role in rebuilding the galaxy. Chewbacca could also return, possibly as Gosling's co-pilot on the Millennium Falcon. John Boyega's Finn might appear if the film involves remnants of the First Order, given his role in inspiring defecting Stormtroopers.

Rey's appearance would depend on whether Gosling's character is a Jedi, as Lucasfilm has plans for her in future projects. Other characters like Lando Calrissian, Luke Skywalker's Force Ghost, or the iconic duo C-3PO and R2-D2 could also make appearances, adding depth and connection to the broader Star Wars universe.