“The Rise of Skywalker” left many “Star Wars” fans disappointed with Disney after the Skywalker Saga came to a close in 2019. The sequel trilogy began with 2015’s “The Force Awakens” and created a whole new band of heroes to root for. However, 2017’s “The Last Jedi” proved divisive and eliminated several of the plot threads that “The Force Awakens” had created. By the time “The Rise of Skywalker” rolled around, Emperor Palpatine came out of nowhere to become the overarching villain, and with the death of Ben Solo, the Skywalker bloodline officially died off. Rey took the name “Rey Skywalker” at the end of the film to seemingly continue the story, but even that decision proved controversial with fans who felt that she had not done anything to “earn” the mantle.
There hasn’t been a movie related to the Skywalker Saga since “The Rise of Skywalker” came out. In fact, Disney stopped all theatrical releases in favor of Disney+ shows. Although the first two seasons of “The Mandalorian” proved successful, the third one drew heavy criticism.
Other shows, like “The Acolyte,” “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Ahsoka,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Skeleton Crew,” met criticism for one reason or another. It was the second and final season of “Andor” that finally gave fans hope that Disney might be getting “Star Wars” back on the right track.
However, in May 2026, Disney decided to try to bring “Star Wars” back to the big screen. Instead of moving ahead with the fourth season of “The Mandalorian” as planned, they asked Jon Favreau to turn it into an adventure set for a theatrical release called “The Mandalorian and Grogu.”
The movie had low stakes, little character development, and didn’t tease any broader adventure or tie it into the larger universe. As of now, fans don’t actually know if there will be a fourth season of “The Mandalorian,” or what Disney plans for the character following its abysmal performance at the box office.
Where Ryan Gosling Comes In To Save ‘Star Wars’
The next movie on the docket is 2027’s “Star Wars: Starfighter.” Although little has been released about the project so far, the movie stands out from other movies set in a galaxy far, far away in a unique way. This one boasts a unique cast of A-list stars: Ryan Gosling, Mia Goth, Amy Adams, and Matt Smith, among others. Many unknown actors have made a name for themselves after appearing in “Star Wars.” Now, “Starfighter” is flipping the script by bringing in a talented cast from the start.
The movie is also being directed by Shawn Levy, who is still hot off the success of “Deadpool & Wolverine.” Levy’s films are consistently delivered on time and on budget, which is a massive win for Disney. The studio notoriously had to undergo extensive reshoots for its first two standalone movies: “Rogue One” and “Solo,” both of which fell under the “A Star Wars Story” banner. “Solo,” especially, was a massive bomb at the box office following the controversy brought on by “The Last Jedi,” although it still managed to perform better than “The Mandalorian and Grogu.”
Another Promising Sign For The Franchise
There are two reasons why Ryan Gosling is inspiring hope in a galaxy far, far away. The actor starred in another space movie – 2016’s “Project Hail Mary” – which currently has a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. With the exception of several flashback scenes, Gosling is basically a one-man show up in space, communicating only with an alien made of rocks called Rocky.
Gosling is great in front of the camera, but fans also need to consider what goes on behind-the-scenes. There were no reports of a troubled production this time around. In fact, Disney seemingly loved the pairing of Ryan Gosling and Shawn Levy so much that they’ve decided to give them another go.
At San Diego Comic Con, Marvel boss Kevin Feige announced that Gosling would be taking on the role of Ghost Rider in the MCU. The film will be directed by Shawn Levy, creating a second partnership for the Disney studio.
This is a pretty promising sign. Disney execs will have already seen a rough cut of “Starfighter,” and apparently, they liked what they saw so much that they were willing to greenlight another Ryan Gosling/Shawn Levy collaboration before waiting for the audience reaction to “Star Wars: Starfighter.”
It’s not a sure sign that the movie will be a hit with fans, but some franchises were built on hope.
