Shawn Levy, the director behind the upcoming standalone Star Wars project, Star Wars: Starfighter, has revealed a curious mandate from Disney and Lucasfilm for making the movie. The House of Mouse oversees everything regarding Star Wars today, alongside Lucasfilm, and the director shared the details of their primary concern. A concern that’s no doubt shared by audiences.
While promoting the fifth and final season of the Netflix giant, Stranger Things, Levy appeared on The Business podcast. During the interview, the director discussed the studio’s decision to premiere the finale on the big screen, which came as something of a surprise considering their reliance on streaming. It was then that Levy shared some details about his other upcoming project, Star Wars: Starfighter, and how it’s as “liberating” as other non-legacy projects. Levy says Disney and the “Lucasfilm protectorate” asked him to make something new with the film, which finds Ryan Gosling in the lead.
“There is no mandate or interference other than the constant encouragement to make this new. And that’s the truth… Starfighter is all new characters, based on new ideas that Jonathan [Tropper] and I cooked up alone and together.
“So far, I’ve had more freedom on this movie: it’s equal to any other movie I’ve made, including the original movies like Free Guy and The Adam Project, where it was based on no legacy. So, so far, it’s very, very liberating.”
The Daunting Task of Trying to Revive the ‘Star Wars’ Flame
The Star Wars franchise isn’t exactly having its best moment right now. After the divisive sequel trilogy, and a plethora of equally divisive Disney+ TV shows, the fanbase is more divided than ever. Those who stand on Disney’s side are far more welcoming of anything new from the studio. However, the other side of the fanbase is eager for more of the same from Star Wars. And it’s the latter that Disney still needs to win over.
Levy faces a challenge. A very difficult one. He has previously said that Star Wars: Starfighter will avoid falling into the common categorization, and will be “an all-new non-sequel, non-prequel adventure,” with “new characters” and “a new timeline.” Though he understands that he must still follow some rules, the director said in the podcast that the “terrifying” task of making a new Star Wars film will answer the need for “something new”:
“It’s still terrifying. Let me make that clear. You still want to get it right. And having gone to Star Wars Celebration with [Ryan] Gosling, the appetite of the fan base and the expectations of the fan base is intense. And it’s palpable. But most of all, what I learned in Tokyo is the thirst for something new at this moment in time. So I feel lucky that that’s what I’m making right now.”
Star Wars: Starfighter is set for release in May 2027, on the 50th anniversary of the original release of Star Wars. Jonathan Tropper, who previously worked with Levy on This Is Where I Leave You and The Adam Project, is taking care of the screenplay.
