Lucasfilm’s newly announced Star Wars movie sounds like an apology from Disney. Having been revealed at the start of Star Wars Celebration 2025, Star Wars: Starfighter will be the next Star Wars movie coming to theaters after The Mandalorian and Grogu in 2026. However, this is by no means the first time Star Wars has announced projects focused on pilots and starships.

Coming from director Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, Star Wars: Starfighter is officially in production and expected to begin filming this fall. While this is very exciting, it does bring to mind two major Star Wars projects that were similarly announced and subsequently faced numerous delays and/or outright cancellations. With that in mind, it does feel as though Starfighter could be Disney and Lucasfilm’s way of making up for past mistakes and getting fans’ hopes up in recent years.

Lucasfilm Canceled Or Shelved Rogue Squadron & Rangers Of The New Republic

Both Would Have Heavily Starred Star Wars Pilots

Way back in 2020, Lucasfilm announced a Rogue Squadron movie, written and directed by Patty Jenkins. Featuring a heartfelt promotional video from Jenkins with a release date of December 2023, Rogue Squadron was meant to introduce “a new generation of starfighter pilots as they earn their wings and risk their lives in a boundary-pushing, high-speed thrill-ride.” While the film’s тιтle was inspired and meant to honor the novels/video games of the same name, 2023’s Rogue Squadron was going to be an all-new story, likened to Star Wars’ version of Top Gun.

However, Rogue Squadron was delayed and eventually pulled from Lucasfilm’s production schedule due to Jenkins’ other filming commitments. In 2023, it was reported that it had been canceled, while other reports from Lucasfilm suggested the film might turn into a series. While Jenkins did say in early 2024 that she had signed a new contract with Lucasfilm to keep developing Rogue Squadron, there has been very little news about the project since.

As far as we know, Rogue Squadron remains in development hell, if it hasn’t been quietly canceled altogether. Additionally, the Mandalorian spin-off series Rangers of the New Republic, which was also announced in 2020, was also canceled following Lucasfilm and Disney’s firing of Gina Carano, who played Cara Dune. Elements of the series were then incorporated elsewhere in future episodes of The Mandalorian. However, it was expected that this series would also have carried a large focus on pilots, specifically the New Republic’s Aldelphi Rangers.

Star Wars Starfighter Feels Like A Spiritual Continuation

Likely Inspired by Pilots and Starships Too

All in all, Star Wars: Starfighter very much feels like a spiritual continuation of both of those canceled projects. While details are currently slim about the overall plot, the тιтle alone does suggest a similar focus on starships and pilots. Thankfully, it does look as though Disney and Lucasfilm will finally be giving fans the Star Wars pilot movie that was originally promised almost 5 years ago with Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling’s upcoming movie. Also, the тιтle just so happens to be taken from a video game as well, not unlike Rogue Squadron (2001’s Star Wars: Starfighter for the PS2 and original Xbox).

Before Star Wars Celebration, there may have still been fans hoping that Rogue Squadron had a chance of seeing the light of day. However, it does feel as though this new announcement pretty much confirms Lucasfilm is moving on. After all, it’d be pretty odd if Lucasfilm had two starfighter-focused movies in development at the same time.

Everything We Know About Star Wars Starfighter

Releasing in 2027

At the moment, it’s been confirmed that Star Wars: Starfighter has the green light and will begin filming this fall with a confirmed release date of May 28th, 2027. Shawn Levy is set to direct, Ryan Gosling will star as the lead, and Levy wrote the script alongside his frequent collaborator Jonathan Tropper. Star Wars: Starfighter will also be a standalone adventure set a few years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.

While it’s been said that the movie will predominantly feature all-new and original characters, it’s been suggested that a couple of established sequel trilogy characters could also be included. Likewise, there was a recent rumor that actress Mikey Madison was offered a role in the upcoming Star Wars movie, but that she allegedly pᴀssed on the opportunity. At any rate, it’s going to be very exciting to learn more about Star Wars: Starfighter as we get closer to its release in 2027.

Star Wars: Starfighter releases in theaters on May 28th, 2027.

Check out more of our Star Wars Celebration coverage:

• Star Wars Celebration: All Panels & Times
• Star Wars Celebration:Live Blog Day 1 – The Mandalorian & Grogu and Lucasfilm Animation Updates
• All 8 Things We Just Learned About The Next Star Wars Movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu
• Star Wars Starfighter Announced: Next Star Wars Movie Releases In 2027, Five Years After Rise Of Skywalker & Stars Ryan Gosling
• Darth Maul Returns In First Look At Maul: Shadow Lord, New TV Show That Fulfils George Lucas’ Sequel Trilogy Plans