I watched the rumor mill tilt for years, waiting to see which franchise would finally snag Ryan Gosling. Then the call came from a galaxy most of us thought he’d politely avoided. You feel the small jolt when an actor who never repeats himself chooses a world that repeats forever.
I want you to hold two dates: Project Hail Mary lands March 20, and Star Wars: Starfighter arrives May 28, 2027. Between those releases, Gosling moves from a stranded schoolteacher to an older mentor in a post-The Rise of Skywalker setting directed by Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine).
Reporters on set noticed Gosling playing an older, weathered mentor before cameras rolled
That observation matters because it reframes the casting as deliberate, not accidental. Shawn Levy’s name and enthusiasm mattered enough to pull Gosling into a franchise he had mostly skirted. When io9 pressed him about the decision, Gosling pointed to Levy’s vision and a script that finally felt right — a rare alignment that convinced him to jump.
Why did Ryan Gosling join Star Wars?
You’ll hear the usual industry talk—money, exposure—but Gosling described something less transactional. He said he avoided big brands because they “never felt right,” and that this one felt like a story worth waiting for. The language here is choice: he frames the move as selective and almost personal, not a career shortcut.
One clear pattern: Gosling has never played the same character twice and fans have noticed
The pattern is almost a brand in itself. From Barbie to Blade Runner 2049 to Project Hail Mary, he’s built a career by chasing distinct figures instead of franchise footprints. Casting him in Starfighter is a strategic gamble by Lucasfilm and Disney — it buys the franchise nuance and gives Gosling a chance to reshape an iconic universe on his terms.
Will Ryan Gosling return to the role in future films?
I don’t have a definitive answer, and neither does anyone at Lucasfilm yet. The official line calls Starfighter a standalone. But franchises are ecosystems: if the film connects with audiences, Disney can fold it into a larger plan faster than you can refresh a streaming slate. Think of this as a soft audition for future returns.
Industry folks saw two high-profile space movies lined up and started taking notes
That arrangement itself sends a signal to studios, agents, and creators. Gosling’s March release of Project Hail Mary primes audiences for a science-fiction mood; Levy’s May film gives Disney a chance to convert that attention into Star Wars momentum. Shawn Levy, Lucasfilm, and Disney are all playing a careful hand — the kind that can turn a standalone into a new chapter.
Is Star Wars: Starfighter connected to the Skywalker saga?
The studio pitches it as independent of the Skywalker arc. Yet film universes are like dominoes: a strong, self-contained hit can start a quiet cascade. If Starfighter lands, you can expect Lucasfilm to evaluate tie-ins, streaming series potential, and cross-pollination with existing IP through executives and platform teams at Disney and Lucasfilm.
Gosling’s move feels less like a surrender to franchise pressure and more like a calculated risk—an actor choosing a giant only when the giant fits the character he wants to play, like finding a handwritten note in a sea of emails. That selectivity raises the stakes for the film’s reception and for Gosling’s own brand: will the mentor he plays become a one-off success or the seed of something larger?
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Gosling’s two space films place him at a rare intersection: star power meets franchise scaffolding, as rare as a solar eclipse. Which side will the industry—and you—bet on?