Why Ryan Gosling Broke His Franchise Rule for Star Wars (and It Paid Off)

Ryan Gosling isn’t averse to starring in major genre films. Two of his most notable credits are Barbie and Blade Runner 2049, plus he headlines March’s Project Hail Mary (which is arguably the most exciting sci-fi film of 2026). Despite being game for these types of movies throughout his career, Gosling has largely steered clear of standard Hollywood franchise fare to this point. Despite being rumored for an abundance of superhero roles, he’s never been attached to one of the big cinematic universes — but that’s changing soon. Gosling stars in next summer’s Star Wars: Starfighter, and now the Oscar nominee has explained why this was the right time to break his unspoken “no franchises” rule.

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.

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It isn’t surprising to hear Gosling apparently delivered another characteristically great performance in Starfighter (he’s earning high praise for his turn in Project Hail Mary). What’s more encouraging is that Starfighter itself is generating positive buzz about a year out from release. After spending years producing new TV shows for Disney+, Lucasfilm seems to be shifting back to prioritizing theatrical feature films. There’s a need for The Mandalorian and Grogu and Starfighter to be well-received, reigniting fans’ passion for Star Wars on the big screen. If Levy was successful in making Starfighter a fun, classic adventure movie, it bodes well for its prospects and the long-term health of Star Wars as a whole.

Gosling agreeing to star in Starfighter was perhaps the first sign that the movie could be something special. It’s out of the norm for the actor to make a film like this, so he must have been enamored with Levy’s pitch and the script. Granted, some of Gosling’s films have earned mixed reviews, but he largely has a solid track record and is someone viewers have come to trust (Project Hail Mary will only increase the faith movie fans have in Gosling’s choices). He’s done quite well for himself and doesn’t need a Star Wars or Marvel paycheck to get by, so odds are, Starfighter is as strong as the early word suggests.

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