Star Wars’ New Movie Has A Big Percy Jackson Problem

One of the new Star Wars movies is set to suffer from a Percy Jackson and the Olympians problem. After a six-year hiatus, during which Lucasfilm has focused primarily on Star Wars TV shows, 2026 will mark the cinematic return of the franchise. Several upcoming Star Wars movies are in development to usher in this cinematic return, causing never-ending excitement.

With these new theatrical installments, the vast Star Wars timeline is only set to expand. Be it the exploration of the Jedi Order’s origin, the development of Star Wars’ New Republic era, or the films set beyond Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the franchise’s new cinematic age is set to be a thrilling one across the board.

Thanks to one of the movies in this upcoming slate, Star Wars is set to encounter the “Percy Jackson problem”, which any further movies in the franchise will need to address.

Star Wars: Starfighter Has Cast 14-Year-Old Flynn Gray

Ryan Gosling edited alongside X-wings flying in the Star Wars franchise.

Ryan Gosling edited alongside X-wings flying in the Star Wars franchise.
Custom Image by Diana Acuña

In May 2027, the Ryan Gosling-led Star Wars: Starfighter will be released in theaters worldwide. The movie will be set five years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, with Gosling’s character protecting a young child from evil pursuers. In a recent update from Lucasfilm, 14-year-old Flynn Gray was confirmed as the actor playing the young character in Gosling’s care.

\n”‘};

window.arrayOfEmbedScripts[“instagram”] = “null”;

Gray’s age was confirmed in a social media post by his aunt, Denise Kenny Byrne. Byrne shared the set pH๏τo of Gray and Gosling that was released by Lucasfilm when production on Star Wars: Starfighter began. Interestingly, Gray’s age gives Starfighter a unique problem.

Gray is going through the age in which boys become young men, meaning he will undergo a significant physical transformation. This transformation will take place as Star Wars: Starfighter is shooting into 2026. By the time Star Wars: Starfighter releases in May 2027, Gray will look even more different than he does now.

This is the “Percy Jackson problem” in question. Percy Jackson and the Olympians, an adaptation of the book series of the same name for Disney+, cast Walker Scobell as the тιтular character when he was 12. This was a book-accurate casting, yet Scobell is now 16 years old and looks significantly older than he did in season 1 of the show.

In Percy Jackson and the Olympians seasons 2 and 3, the former releasing in December 2025 and the latter currently in development, Scobell will look years older than his character is supposed to be. Any sequel to Star Wars: Starfighter will encounter this same problem with Flynn Gray and his new character.

A Star Wars: Starfighter Sequel Will Need To Move Further Into The Star Wars Timeline

The logo for Star Wars: Starfighter (2027)

The logo for Star Wars: Starfighter (2027)

With this problem in mind, any potential sequels to Star Wars: Starfighter will need to address the seemingly rapid aging Gray had undergone since the first movie’s production. For instance, a sequel could not take place immediately after the events of the first film, as Gray would look much older than he did in the first story.

Therefore, Star Wars: Starfighter 2, should it happen, would need to move further into the franchise’s timeline. A time-jump of a few years would fix this issue, which Star Wars is no stranger to implementing. Regardless, Star Wars: Starfighter‘s new, young star calls to mind Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which Lucasfilm will need to be aware of going forward.

Related Posts

5 Post-Thunderbolts* Marvel Must-Watches Revealed!

5 Post-Thunderbolts* Marvel Must-Watches Revealed!

Now that Thunderbolts* is available to watch on home media, it should inspire viewers to watch a litany of other MCU shows and movies. As a team-up…

Thunderbolts’ True Villain Escapes Justice in Shocking Twist!

Thunderbolts’ True Villain Escapes Justice in Shocking Twist!

I have loved taking the opportunity to rewatch Thunderbolts*, but it has made me realize that the MCU movie’s true villain — the one responsible for every…

Thursday Murder Club’s Shocking Ending Explained By Director & Producer

Thursday Murder Club’s Shocking Ending Explained By Director & Producer

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club.The director and producer of The Thursday Murder Club explain the movie’s ending. The comedy mystery is…

The Goonies 2 Update Means 39 Year Wait For Sequel Could Finally Be Over

The Goonies 2 Update Means 39 Year Wait For Sequel Could Finally Be Over

After years of speculation, The Goonies 2 was confirmed to be in development earlier this year and has now received an exciting script update from its writer….

Mark Hamill Hypes Up His Stephen King Villain In The Long Walk: “I Love Being Hated”

Mark Hamill Hypes Up His Stephen King Villain In The Long Walk: “I Love Being Hated”

Mark Hamill hypes up playing the villain in Francis Lawrence’s big-screen adaptation of Stephen King’s The Long Walk. Coming to theaters on September 12, the movie stars…

Prime Video’s Worst Sci-Fi Movie Defended By Producer: “We Made A Really Good Movie For The Movie We Had”

Prime Video’s Worst Sci-Fi Movie Defended By Producer: “We Made A Really Good Movie For The Movie We Had”

The producer behind Prime Video’s worst-rated sci-fi movie defends the project. Debuting on July 30, Patrick Aiello and Timur Bekmambetov’s reboot of War of the Worlds stars…