Photo Credit: Lucasfilm
Shawn Levy recently spoke about one of Star Wars’ most anticipated upcoming projects. The director hinted that the 2027 film will finally fulfill Matt Smith’s long-awaited destiny in the galaxy far, far away after his previously canceled role.

Star Wars finally gives Matt Smith a chance to shine after scrapped role

Shawn Levy has confirmed that production on Star Wars: Starfighter is “a little over halfway” complete. He described the experience as “astonishing, complicated and thrilling every day.”

The director told ScreenRant that the film fulfills what he calls Matt Smith’s Star Wars “destiny.” The Doctor Who actor was originally set to appear in The Rise of Skywalker as a younger version of Sheev Palpatine. However, rewrites removed the role before filming began.

Levy said, “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.” Smith joins an ensemble cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Flynn Gray, Mia Goth, Amy Adams, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, and Daniel Ings. Two behind-the-scenes photos show Gosling and Gray’s characters in action. The film takes place in the years following The Rise of Skywalker.

Levy highlighted Gosling’s involvement, saying, “Ryan Gosling, we all know how brilliant he is, but he’s an incredible creative partner.” He added that working with talents like Goth, Smith, and Adams has been “more creatively satisfying than I dreamed it would be.” Smith will start filming in December while the team finalizes his costume and character design.

Early reports suggest that Smith and Mia Goth will portray villains, aligning with Smith’s previously rumored Palpatine-related role. Starfighter will serve as the second Star Wars theatrical release since 2019, following The Mandalorian and Grogu, which premieres on May 22, 2026.

Star Wars: Starfighter releases in theaters on May 28, 2027, directed and produced by Shawn Levy alongside Kathleen Kennedy.