Star Wars’ upcoming Ryan Gosling-led film, Star Wars: Starfighter, is making franchise history in two surprising ways. Directed by Shawn Levy, very little has been revealed about Star Wars: Starfighter, though the movie’s latest casting news does prove that the franchise is moving in a surprisingly different direction. The film, which Levy has confirmed is a standalone story, will see Gosling’s character protect a youngling from dangerous, yet-to-be-named hunters, and is reportedly set to start production this fall.

Not only will Star Wars: Starfighter be the first Star Wars film not directly (or indirectly) linked to the Skywalker saga or any other Star Wars sub-franchise – The Mandalorian and Grogu is part of Star Wars’ mega-popular Mandalorian franchise, after all – but it will also be set in a previously unexplored part of the Star Wars timeline, a few years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. That makes Starfighter’s unconventional casting and character choices all the more exciting.

Star Wars: Starfighter Is Depending On Star Casting In A Surprising Way

Previous Star Wars movies, especially those produced or directed by George Lucas, opted to cast relatively unknown or up-and-coming actors for their biggest roles, rather than banking on big, established Hollywood stars. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford were fresh faces in Hollywood, and Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, and even Natalie Portman were all still at the start of their acting careers.

The same was true for Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Adam Driver. Though the latter two, especially, had previous experience and some great roles, none cemented them as bona fide movie stars. While there have been a few notable exceptions to this unofficial rule, like Alec Guinness, Liam Neeson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Emilia Clarke’s Star Wars castings, actors of that caliber usually occupied side characters or other minor roles within Star Wars’ storytelling.

Ryan Gosling’s leading role in Star Wars: Starfighter is, therefore, a surprising change of pace. Gosling is one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actors, with recent performances in movies like Barbie, The Fall Guy, The Gray Man, and Blade Runner 2049 showcasing his range as a strong comedic, action-oriented, and dramatic actor, all skills that will come in handy when leading a new Star Wars movie.

We Have Our First Female Main Villain

More recently, Starfighter cast its primary villain, with notable horror actress Mia Goth joining Gosling in an as-yet-unnamed role. Goth, known for her electrifying performances in psychological horror hits like X and Pearl, will portray the first leading female villain in a theatrical Star Wars movie, building on Gwendoline Christie’s groundbreaking role as tertiary villain Captain Phasma in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.

Goth may not be as stunningly famous as Ryan Gosling, but she’s certainly a well-known name in Hollywood and beyond, and given her background, it’s exciting to see what she’ll be able to bring to such a historic Star Wars role. Though I don’t believe Starfighter will (or should) include the Sith in its story, Goth’s horror roots could provide a unique new edge to Starfighter’s mysterious, leading villain.

Starfighter Is A Mystery… But We’ll Surely Know More Soon

So far, most of Star Wars: Starfighter’s details are being kept тιԍнтly under wraps, and this may remain true for a while yet. Except for A New Hope, each previous Star Wars movie has been able to market itself through its connection to the wider saga; they haven’t needed to rely on big-name stars.

The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi were direct sequels to the first-ever Star Wars movie. The Star Wars prequels promised to unravel the mystery of Darth Vader, and Solo: A Star Wars Story focused on a legacy character. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was a prequel to A New Hope, and the sequel trilogy continued the Skywalker saga. All of these movies presented a narrative reason for audiences, both casual and invested Star Wars fans, to tune in. Starfighter is instead trying something wholly new.

Gosling and Goth are currently Starfighter’s biggest draws, and Star Wars will undoubtedly rely on their star power to boost viewers’ excitement for the film as it goes into production later this year. Presumably, we’ll learn more about the rest of the cast once filming begins in earnest, but there’s also a chance Lucasfilm will choose to hide behind Gosling and Goth’s involvement, as it were, before the film’s major marketing push begins closer to its release date. Currently, Star Wars: Starfighter’s story is a mystery, and that makes it all the more exciting.