As we await his mohawk-donning turn in Darren Aronofsky’s “Caught Stealing,” Matt Smith (“Doctor Who”) has signed on to co-star with Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth in Shawn Levy’s “Star Wars: Starfighter.”
While exact details are vague on who Smith will be playing, sources say it will be one of the villain roles. Goth’s role is also rumored to be antagonistic.
The project, which is being helmed by “Deadpool & Wolverine” director Shawn Levy, is based on a script from Jonathan Tropper (“Your Friends & Neighbors”) and is expected to start filming this September. More casting is underway for key roles
Details about the plot are under wraps. It’s quite clear Gosling is the lead. Mikey Madison was originally in talks for Goth’s role, but negotiations reportedly collapsed over salary demands following her Oscar win for “Anora.”
Set about five years after ‘The Rise of Skywalker,’ ‘Starfighter’ is described as a standalone tale focused on new characters within the Star Wars universe. Alongside ‘Mandalorian & Grogu,’ it marks the first Star Wars feature since 2019 and comes at a moment when the franchise desperately need to feel relevant again at the movies.
Fresh off the success of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” Levy is the stalwart filmmaker behind “Big Fat Liar,” “Just Married,” “Cheaper by the Dozen,” “The Internship,” “Real Steal,” the “Pink Panther” reboot, “Free Guy” and the “Night at the Museum” trilogy. Not a single good movie out of the bunch.
Disney has already staked out a May 28, 2027 release for ‘Starfighter,’ exactly one year after “The Mandalorian & Grogu” hits theaters.