Matt Smith’s long-delayed entry into the Star Wars universe has finally come to pass in Star Wars: Starfighter, a role that director Shawn Levy describes as “destiny fulfilled” after the actor was cut from The Rise of Skywalker years ago. For Smith, whose rumored younger Palpatine was scrapped in reshoots, this marks a redemptive and prominent return to the galaxy far, far away.
Speaking with ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan during a Stranger Things season 5 press stop, Levy confirmed he investigated those earlier reports and learned the full story from reliable sources: “I read those stories and subsequently got the straight reels on it from a few sources. For him, too, he feels like it’s destiny fulfilled” . The phrase now carries the weight of a second chance, transforming a behind-the-scenes footnote into a key chapter of the film’s narrative.
Levy’s own experience on set mirrors that sense of cosmic alignment. “My experience is that I genuinely feel like my 10-year-old self is on set with me every day. It is astonishing, and it’s complicated and thrilling every day,” he said, his voice brimming with the wonder of a lifelong fan now shaping the franchise’s future. The director, fresh off Deadpool & Wolverine and a decade of Stranger Things, brings a kinetic, character-first energy to Starfighter—a swashbuckling adventure set in the uncharted years after The Rise of Skywalker.
Production began in August, with two official behind-the-scenes images already released: Ryan Gosling and breakout newcomer Flynn Gray, both cloaked in mystery. Levy calls Gosling “an incredible creative partner” and praises the ensemble—Goth, Smith, Amy Adams, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, and Daniel Ings—for delivering “more creatively satisfying” results than he ever imagined. “This revelation of a young actor in Flynn Gray” has been a particular highlight, Levy noted.
The shoot is “a little over halfway done,” with Levy returning to set the Monday after his interview. Early reports position Smith and Mia Goth as the film’s central villains—a fitting echo of Smith’s near-miss with the Emperor. The Doctor Who and House of the Dragon star begins filming this December, with costume and design work currently being finalized. His later start suggests a major second-act entrance, one that could redefine the stakes of Levy’s adventure.
Jonathan Tropper co-writes the screenplay alongside George Lucas, with Levy and Kathleen Kennedy producing. Star Wars: Starfighter is only the second theatrical release since The Rise of Skywalker in December 2019. The first, The Mandalorian and Grogu, arrives in theaters on May 22, 2026. Smith’s filming for Star Wars: Starfighter begins this December, and Levy again noted the team is “a little over halfway done,” signaling a production on track for its ambitious timeline.
Star Wars: Starfighter is scheduled for theatrical release on May 28, 2027.
