Why Ryan Gosling Broke His Own Rule To Join The Star Wars Universe

The "Star Wars" galaxy is about to experience its biggest expansion in quite some time. We haven't gotten a new "Star Wars" movie since the release of 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker," which closed out the sequel trilogy. That drought will end in 2026 thanks to "The Mandalorian and Grogu," a film that will bring the titular characters from "The Mandalorian" to the big screen for the first time. Next year, though? We'll be getting something truly new in the form of "Star Wars: Starfighter," which stars Ryan Gosling ("Barbie," "The Fall Guy") as its lead. But what convinced him to join such a massive franchise?

During an interview with Gizmodo to promote his already critically acclaimed new sci-fi movie "Project Hail Mary," Gosling was asked why he felt compelled to join the "Star Wars" universe for this particular movie, despite it violating his general rule to avoid major pre-established franchises. As he put it, it all came down to director Shawn Levy ("Deadpool & Wolverine") and what was on the page. Here's what he had to say about it:

"It was Shawn's enthusiasm and his vision and the script. 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."

So far, very little has been revealed about this movie in terms of specific details. However, we know that "Star Wars: Starfighter" will take the franchise somewhere new, specifically to an unexplored place on the timeline roughly five years after the events of "The Rise of Skywalker." It's obviously hard to judge a film we know so little about, but Gosling's words, taken at face value, should be encouraging to fans.

Remember, we're talking about an A-list actor who hasn't taken on roles in big pre-existing franchises like this before. Ryan Gosling circled both "Suicide Squad" and "Doctor Strange" in 2014, but he didn't actually join either one. And while he did star in "Blade Runner 2049," that's hardly as big as a "Star Wars" movie, with all due respect. Similarly, "Barbie" was a gigantic hit based on a known brand, but that was also the start of a new theatrical franchise. So, in a lot of ways, "Starfighter" is a first for him.

As Gosling observed, though, joining a galaxy far, far away, particularly as the lead in a movie that is something totally new within this storied franchise, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any actor. Shawn Levy and the script helped convince him, which sounds assuring. It wasn't a paycheck, so far as he's telling it.

The timing is good as well, with the "Star Wars" franchise currently being in a period of transition. Kathleen Kennedy is no longer the president of Lucasfilm, while "The Mandalorian and Groug" could usher in a new era for "Star Wars" and make it less reliant on pop culture defining events like "The Force Awakens." Instead, "Star Wars" could simply be big blockbuster fun without having to shoulder the weight of the entire world every time a new film comes out.

We'll see how things shake out over the next couple of years, but there are lots of "Star Wars" movies and TV shows in the works, and few of them are about explicitly setting the stage for continuations or sequels. Whatever comes next, Gosling will be a big part of it.

"Star Wars: Starfighter" hits theaters on May 28, 2027.