Tom Cruise's Secret BTS Star Wars: Starfighter Role, Explained

Tom Cruise is one of the biggest movie stars of all time. "Star Wars" is one of the biggest movie franchises of all time. Now, the two have finally crossed paths. No, Cruise isn't suiting up as a Jedi or a swashbuckling smuggler ala Han Solo, but he did have a small part to play in the making of "Star Wars: Starfighter," the new movie starring Ryan Gosling that hits theaters next summer.

In a recent piece by the New York Times offering a behind-the-scenes peek at director Shawn Levy's new "Star Wars" movie, it's revealed that Cruise, who is coming fresh off of an honorary Oscar win, popped by the set to see what Levy and the crew were cooking up. The visit took place in November and Cruise landed his helicopter on set, with crew reportedly blasting the "Mission: Impossible" theme over the loudspeakers to set the tone.

The story states that Cruise just wanted to watch, but Levy was setting up a scene involving a lightsaber duel in the water. The director then jokingly suggested that the "Top Gun: Maverick" star jump behind one of the cameras, but before Levy knew it, the Times writer says Cruise "was up to his ankles in mud and pond water. He wore a look of great concentration as he stooped over a digital camera, trying to frame the perfect shot." Levy had this to say about it:

"Now when you see the movie you'll know that part of it was shot by Tom. I mean, how cool is that?"

"Last week Steven Spielberg was here. And now Tom Cruise is wielding a camera, ruining his very nice shoes," Levy said elsewhere in the piece. I guess it never hurts to have a helping hand from a guy like Cruise.

Levy may have been joking, but Tom Cruise took it very seriously. He is not only an adept producer, but a true champion of cinema. It speaks volumes that he was willing to ruin a nice pair of shoes just to help make some movie magic happen in the "Star Wars" galaxy. 

"Starfighter" boasts an impressive cast led by Ryan Gosling ("Barbie), with Matt Smith ("Morbius"), Mia Goth ("X"), Aaron Pierre ("Rebel Ridge"), and Amy Adams ("Arrival") also on board, among others. It will be the second "Star Wars" movie to hit theaters since 2019, following this summer's "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which takes place in the same universe as the beloved Disney+ TV show.

The difference is that Shawn Levy is the first filmmaker to take the franchise somewhere new in quite some time. While plot details remain fully under wraps for the time being, "Starfighter" takes place five years after the events of "The Rise of Skywalker," representing a wholly unexplored place on the overall "Star Wars" timeline.

In the same NYT article, Levy recalled a piece of advice he received from Steven Spielberg: "You direct like you're sitting in the audience." That's something he's applying to a galaxy far, far away. "I've never forgotten that," Levy said. "For better or worse, I am making movies like I would want them to look and feel and sound like if I were sitting in that dark theater."

Meanwhile, Lucasfilm is in a period of transition, as Kathleen Kennedy is about to depart as president, with current Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni and President and General Manager of Lucasfilm Business Lynwen Brennan due to succeed her.

"Star Wars: Starfighter" is set to hit theaters on May 28, 2027.