Historically, the Star Wars franchise has turned relatively unknown actors into household names. While key supporting roles have typically been portrayed by established veterans (Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, Liam Neeson) to lend some gravitas to the project, the lead roles are usually filled out by fresh talent. This was a deliberate choice on George Lucas’ part, and while there was some risk attached (especially at a time when Star Wars was an unproven concept at the box office), it’s easy to see why the director went that route. General audiences don’t have as much baggage with unknown actors, so it becomes easier to see the character as opposed to just a famous face. In a way, it makes the experience more immersive, which is important for a high-concept genre film like Star Wars.
For the most part, the first wave of new Star Wars movies under Disney followed Lucas’ example. Star Wars: The Force Awakens was the first time Daisy Ridley headlined a major motion picture. Prior to playing Finn, John Boyega’s claim to fame was the cult favorite Attack the Block. Even Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver, who both had accumulated several parts in various projects, weren’t big stars when they signed on for the sequel trilogy. Casting unknowns is a strategy that’s worked very well for the Star Wars franchise, but director Shawn Levy mixed things up for his upcoming film Star Wars: Starfighter, which features Ryan Gosling and Amy Adams among its ensemble of recognizable names. It’s a big shift, but one that Star Wars needs right now.
Star Wars has flirted with famous movie stars before (imagine a world where Al Pacino played Han Solo, or Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed Anakin Skywalker), but Starfighter is the first time a bona fide A-lister has headlined a Star Wars film (not counting sequels released after unknowns became global superstars). The Mandalorian & Grogu ends an extended Star Wars movie hiatus next summer, but Starfighter — which doesn’t premiere until 2027 — is arguably the more intriguing prospect, and not just because there are rumored plot details that tease Jedi elements. The cast is arguably what makes Starfighter so exciting.
Seeing Gosling at the top of the call sheet on a Star Wars movie immediately captures your attention, and it’s an encouraging sign for Starfighter‘s quality. Though he’s been frequently rumored for superhero roles over the year, Gosling has steered clear of franchises throughout his career. The closest he’s gotten to that kind of fare — Blade Runner 2049, Barbie — were instances where he collaborated with respected auteurs. Adams is in a similar boat; outside of her work in the DC Extended Universe, she’s made a name for herself in films from Paul Thomas Anderson, Denis Villeneuve, and other top tier directors. Not everything Gosling and Adams have been in are critical darlings, but their respective track records are strong. There’s a reason they’ve been nominated for multiple Oscars each, and it means something that Starfighter appealed to them.
After years of producing TV series for Disney+, Lucasfilm seems ready to pivot back to feature films. At Star Wars Celebration this year, Kathleen Kennedy outlined the plethora of Star Wars movies in development, meaning the studio has no plans of slowing down soon. Starfighter needs to make a big splash in order to get the next wave of Star Wars films off on the right foot, and the star-studded cast could help make that possible. Seeing trailers with Gosling and Adams will make Starfighter stand out more in a sea of studio tentpoles. It won’t feel like just another blockbuster; it’s the new Ryan Gosling movie. Ideally, that will generate additional buzz and anticipation, making it seem like a bigger event. Even the presence of former Doctor Who star Matt Smith and scream queen Mia Goth gives Starfighter more notoriety than we’re used to with Star Wars films.
It’s important for Starfighter to be successful. If it’s a hit, it could open opportunities for even more A-listers to lend their talents to the franchise. One of the more notable things about Starfighter is that it was conceived as a standalone movie, which is likely how Levy was able to cast in-demand actors like Gosling and Adams. The prospect of signing a multi-picture deal with a studio can be daunting since it potentially will limit creative endeavors for the next handful of years, but a standalone allows movie stars to essentially have their cake and eat it too. Kennedy seems interested in allowing directors to come in and tell stories that aren’t connected to what’s come before, so maybe there will be a day when someone like DiCaprio or Timothée Chalamet joins the galaxy far, far away.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
The post Star Wars’ New Movie Cast Is Like Nothing We’ve Seen in the Last 47 Years (& It’s a Necessary Swing) appeared first on ComicBook.com.
