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In an interview with Gizmodo, Gosling discussed why he signed on for Starfighter, praising director Shawn Levy. “It was Shawn’s enthusiasm and his vision and the script,” he said. “And I just avoided these things because they never felt right. And I’m glad I did because I feel like, [similar to] a book like this, [it was] worth waiting for. And it is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Ryan Gosling’s Star Wars Decision Might Have Paid Off
Patience is a virtue, and Gosling waiting for the right franchise opportunity to come across his desk might have paid off in a major way. A recent Variety report detailing the current state of Disney as Josh D’Amaro prepares to take over as CEO featured positive buzz for Starfighter. In the piece, it’s noted that people who have seen footage from the upcoming film are “praising Ryan Gosling’s performance” and believe Levy was able to “recapture the franchise’s spirit of fun.” There’s an argument to be made that Starfighter — not this May’s The Mandalorian and Grogu — will be the movie that most excites Star Wars fans.
Starfighter is arguably the most intriguing Star Wars project on the docket because of what it represents. Though rumors persist the film features some kind of Jedi element or even a cameo from Rey, right now word is it tells a completely new standalone story that doesn’t include any legacy characters from previous films. It’s Lucasfilm trying something new with the IP that could pay off handsomely if it’s successful. Trilogies will always be a part of Star Wars’ DNA (there’s a new one from Simon Kinberg in development), but standalone movies that jump across the franchise timeline could be the way forward. Former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy even mentioned that Star Wars is in a place now where she’d like to invite creatives to jump in the sandbox and tell their own unique stories, rather than tie everything together.
