Matt Smith's Star Wars Destiny: Cut From Sequel Trilogy, Now Starring In 2027 Film

Star Wars: Starfighter director Shawn Levy provides an update on the upcoming movie and how it fulfills Matt Smith’s Star Wars “destiny.” In addition to Smith, Starfighter‘s confirmed cast includes Ryan Gosling, Flynn Gray, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Amy Adams, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, and Daniel Ings.

The new Star Wars movie, which is set in the years after The Rise of Skywalker, began production in August. Two official behind-the-scenes photos have been revealed so far featuring Gosling and Gray’s mysterious characters.

In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan for Stranger Things season 5, Levy was asked about these images, whether it is accurate to think of the film as a swashbuckling adventure, and to reflect on his overall experience. He confirms that production is “a little over halfway” done and emphasizes how it has been an overwhelmingly positive experience. Check out his comments below:

My experience is that I genuinely feel like my 10-year-old self is on set with me every day. It is astonishing, and it’s complicated and thrilling every day.

Ryan Gosling, we all know how brilliant he is, but he’s an incredible creative partner. And to fill out the cast with other amazing actors like Mia Goth, Matt Smith, and Amy Adams [and to have] this revelation of a young actor in Flynn Gray, it is more creatively satisfying than I dreamed it would be.

The shoot’s going well, and as you know, we’re a little over halfway done. I’ll be back on that set Monday morning [which is today]. It was a quick trip here, but you know what, 10 years of Stranger Things! I couldn’t miss this farewell moment. It’s meant so much to me.

Levy was also asked about Matt Smith being cast in Star Wars after previously being cut from The Rise of Skywalker. The Doctor Who star was rumored to have been tapped to play a younger version of Sheev Palpatine before the role was scrapped. Levy acknowledges “those stories” and explains that for Smith, it “feels like it’s destiny fulfilled” to be in Starfighter now.

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.

While Lucasfilm has confirmed key members of Starfighter‘s cast, who they are playing has not been officially revealed. However, the initial reports of Smith’s casting detailed that he and Goth are playing villains, which is fitting after his rumored role as a younger version of the ultimate Star Wars villain in The Rise of Skywalker.

Smith’s mysterious Starfighter role is also noteworthy because it comes in only the second Star Wars movie to be released since The Rise of Skywalker in December 2019. The franchise’s first film since then is The Mandalorian and Grogu, which comes to theaters on May 22, 2026, about a year before Starfighter‘s May 28, 2027 theatrical release date.

As shared by the actor himself, Smith’s Starfighter filming begins in December, and he is in the process of his character’s costume and overall look being finalized. Between Smith’s comments and Levy confirming that production is “a little over halfway done”, Smith is coming onto set later than Gosling, Gray, and some of the other stars, but he is still poised to play a prominent role.

Levy makes it clear that he is deeply satisfied by the experience of making Star Wars: Starfighter. As meaningful as it is for him, it is just as impactful for Smith, whose debut in the long-running franchise has been years in the making.