Lucasfilm debuted the first official trailer for Star Wars: Starfighter at the D23 fan event in Anaheim, California. According to reporting from Variety, the standalone film stars Ryan Gosling as a pilot named Kade Auberon and is scheduled to land in theaters on May 28, 2027.
Set five years after the events of 2019’s Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker, the movie is a standalone story. Director Shawn Levy, working from a script by Jonathan Tropper, told attendees at the Disney convention that the project explores a period of time that hasn’t been seen explored yet. Principal photography for the film ran from August through December 2025, utilizing locations including Sardinia, Italy.
The newly unveiled footage sets up an introduction to Kade Auberon. In the teaser, Kade Auberon discovers a young man—played by Flynn Gray—playing with a decommissioned starfighter inside a garage. According to coverage from IGN, Kade warns the youth that there is a reason it was decommissioned, and Variety notes it was known as the fastest ever built.
As the trailer progresses, the narrative shifts into action. The preview showcases Kade piloting the ship across diverse alien landscapes, featuring shots of skyscraper-sized geysers emerging from a planet’s ocean. In classic Star Wars fashion, droids shoot at the ship while Kade’s droid helps him escape. Variety notes that the supporting ensemble features Amy Adams, Aaron Pierre, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, and Daniel Ings.
A Standalone Era
Director Shawn Levy has emphasized that Star Wars: Starfighter is a standalone Star Wars movie that is neither a prequel nor a sequel. Because the story takes place in a period of time that hasn’t been seen explored yet, audiences should not expect to see legacy characters like Rey Skywalker.
Variety reported that Levy expressed honor during the D23 presentation regarding the film’s premiere window, noting that the film is releasing on the same exact weekend that the original Star Wars came out exactly 50 years earlier. The director stated that the narrative embodies the themes of hope and family that have always been core to these films.
The feature film follows in the wake of other franchise entries. The Mandalorian and Grogu previously hit theaters. The universe has continued to expand via Disney+ television series such as The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka, Andor, The Acolyte, and Skeleton Crew.
Production Timeline and What Comes Next
With principal photography having wrapped in late 2025, the production crew has spent time on its post-production schedule. MovieWeb noted that while early promotional phases included pictures of Gosling and Flynn in costume on set, the D23 trailer serves as a first look at the movie.
As Disney and Lucasfilm continue ahead of the May 28, 2027 theatrical launch, fans await further promotional drops.
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