The Star Wars theatrical drought is almost over, and the road back to the big screen is shaping up to be pretty exciting. It’s been more than five years since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker closed out the sequel trilogy, leaving the galaxy far, far away living almost exclusively on Disney+.
That changes soon as this year brings The Mandalorian and Grogu to theaters, and in 2026 another standalone adventure arrives with Star Wars: Starfighter.
The film stars Ryan Gosling and is directed by Shawn Levy, who is coming off a massive run producing and directing Netflix’s Stranger Things.
Levy recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about how that experience shaped his mindset heading into one of the most iconic franchises in movie history. The biggest lesson was about resisting the pressure that comes with scale and remembering what actually makes a story work.
“If I’ve learned anything on Stranger Things, it’s that you can get intimidated by the scale of franchise expectation. But you will lose your way if that’s your focus. I’ve learned the need to stay rooted in character, and themes and relationships on screen.
“Yes, there’s spectacle and scale, just like Stranger Things. And of course, Star Wars and Starfighter has spectacle and scale and adventure at a level I’ve never done in my whole career. But like Stranger Things, it’s also very much anchored in a human scale character-sized story.
“I think that if I can balance the epic and the intimate the way the Duffers have with Stranger Things, I’ll make a movie and an original and new Star Wars adventure that can be really satisfying to fans and audiences.”
Even after years without a theatrical release, Star Wars is still one of the biggest franchises ever created. Expectations come from every direction. Fans want something that lives up to decades of storytelling, while the studio wants a massive box office win. That kind of pressure could throw almost any filmmaker off balance.
What may help Starfighter stand apart is that it isn’t carrying narrative baggage. Unlike projects that continue established storylines, this film isn’t tied to previous trilogies or long-running Disney+ arcs.
As far as we know, it exists on its own, sharing only the universe itself. That gives Levy room to focus on new characters and a fresh story without constantly looking over his shoulder.
That freedom is especially noticeable when you compare it to the planned new film centered on Daisy Ridley, which will continue the story of Rey. That project has decades of mythology and fan expectation baked into it. Starfighter doesn’t. It can be its own thing.
Levy’s point about scale tells us spectacle matters in Star Wars. Spaceships, battles, and alien worlds are part of the DNA. But history shows that the franchise works best when those elements serve characters we care about. If Starfighter nails that balance between epic action and personal storytelling, it could be awesome.
After years of waiting, Star Wars is finally gearing up for a proper return to theaters. If Levy brings the same character-driven instincts that helped make Stranger Things a hit, Star Wars: Starfighter could end up being exactly the kind of standalone adventure the franchise needs right now.
