Director Shawn Levy has revealed a new look at Star Wars: Starfighter, and it suggests that the characters will be lost at sea at one point in the film. Starring Ryan Gosling and set for release in May 2027, Star Wars: Starfighter will be the first piece of Star Wars live-action media set after the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga in The Rise of Skywalker. Plot details remain a mystery; previously, our only glimpse of the movie came via the black and white photo of Gosling and co-star Flynn Gray that was used to announce the start of production.
With filming now underway, Levy has revealed a new look at the movie via his Instagram. The photo sees Gosling and Gray on what appears to be a raft in the middle of the ocean, with the caption reading “Somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea #Starfighter.” The photo gives viewers the best look at Gosling and Gray’s costumes, which feel reminiscent of Han Solo’s outfit from the original Star Wars. They also appear to be on a watercraft, hinting that the characters might be traversing a water planet. See the image below:
Is Shawn Levy Teasing a Famous ‘Star Wars’ Planet?
While no plot details have been revealed, it appears that Starfighter will focus on the connection between Gosling and Gray’s characters, with both on the run from dark forces. Matt Smith and Mia Goth have been mentioned to be playing the film’s main villains, possibly hunting down the duo. Why that would be the case remains to be seen, but it appears that their chase will bring them to this mysterious planet, which could be an original one created for the film… or one that pre-exists in the franchise.
Star Wars features numerous water planets, many of which have not yet been depicted in live action. There’s the planet Mon Cala, home to Admiral Ackbar. Fans might also be hoping for Manaan, a water-centric planet from the non-canon video game Knights of the Old Republic. Given that the production is filming in the Mediterranean Sea, some might expect this could be Naboo, as the planet’s design drew heavily from the area. It’s also entirely possible that none of those guesses are on the mark. While the original Star Wars trilogy tended to have planets with one type of biome, subsequent films introduced more varied planets with cities, seas, and other environments, so this could just be one part of the environment.
With Starfighter two years away from release, Levy’s occasional distribution of new photos is certainly a good way to build up hype. Unlike the upcoming film The Mandalorian & Grogu, which has built-in appeal, Starfighter will be a test of whether the Star Wars brand name alone can draw moviegoers, as it’ll be an original story with no connections to the prior films and no returning classic characters. While The Mandalorian & Grogu has largely filmed on sound stages and has revealed very little footage or set photos, Starfighter is attempting to win fans over by showcasing that it’s filming on location and giving fans small teases of what’s soon to come from the next chapter set in a galaxy far, far away.
